


can i be him?

by amory



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Coming Out, Disney References, Harry Potter References, Harry is a sweetheart, Louis hates the internet, M/M, Niall and Liam are those awful youtubers everyone hates, Photographer Harry, Playlist Live, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Teacher Louis, University Student Louis, YouTube, YouTuber Harry, this fic is ridiculous please read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 16:33:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11878452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amory/pseuds/amory
Summary: Louis is twenty years old and has been waiting for his soulmate and true love to come along since the day he was born. Harry is an eighteen year old youtuber who is skeptical of soulmates and the pressure of being the person someone else has been dreaming of their entire lives.They meet at Playlist Live





	can i be him?

Louis wakes up in the early hours of the first day of February with a searing pain in his wrist that has him scrambling out of bed and immediately falling to the floor.

“The fuck?” Liam mumbles from across the room. He lifts his head up from where it’s pressed into the cushion of Louis’ futon and glares at Louis in the darkness. “M’drunk still, are you dying or something?”

Sheets are still tangled around Louis’ feet, the entire reason he fell in the first place, and he kicks them away. He jumps to his feet and fumbles around in his moonlit room, eventually managing to find the light switch. As soon as he turns it on, Liam practically screams.

“Fuckin’ hell,” he whines, shoving his face back into the cushion. “My eyes!”

“Shut up, Liam,” Louis hisses back, now more focused on his still burning wrist. There’s a rope there now where nothing but blank space had been when he fell asleep. It’s absolutely beautiful, Louis thinks, running his finger over the infinity the rope knot makes on the front of his wrist.

Liam finally sits up in all of his shirtless glory and frowns. “What’s going on?” he slurs.

“What’s today?” Louis asks.

There’s an over dramatic groan, but Liam leans over the edge of the futon and fumbles around on the floor for his phone. It’s laying under the futon, no doubt kicked there by Louis when he had to drag his best friend upstairs to bed only an hour ago now. He picks it up and frowns at the screen for a moment.

“February first,” Liam reads off. “12:02 AM, by the way, and I do have an exam tomorrow, so if you could speed up this breakdown you’re having and turn the damn light off, that’d be lovely. I already have to get through it hungover, I might as well _try_ to sleep.”

Louis ignores Liam’s ramblings, more focused on his mark. The rope wraps around his wrist, the ends dangling on the inside. He’s always loved wrist tattoos, maybe fate takes that sort of thing into consideration.

His soulmate is only two years younger than him, which is a relief. Two years is a good age difference, nothing too crazy. Louis got a bit concerned when he and his friends started turning eighteen and marks where appearing left and right, while his skin was left woefully unmarked. He was starting to worry he’d be one of those guys who claim they got nothing until they were thirty, or even older, which he thinks is just creepy. And he got it at midnight for him as well, meaning his soulmate is in the same time zone at the very least. Louis has a hunch that they may even be nearby.

“Wait,” Liam says, his drunken brain finally understanding what’s going on. “Oh my god, Louis, did you get it? Let me see!”

Louis obliges him and walks over to show Liam the mark on his wrist. It feels wrong having anyone other than his soulmate touch his mark, but Liam has been his best friend for ages now, it’s not like he’s a stranger. Still, it’s an intimate touch that most people wouldn’t allow.

“God, Lou,” Liam breathes, grinning up at him with bloodshot eyes. “I’m so happy for you, mate.”

They share a look, and Louis knows what Liam’s thinking. Liam never understood what this waiting was like for Louis. Zayn is only a few months older than him, Liam got his mark right away, and they met at uni orientation a few weeks later. Louis is the last of his friends to get his mark, and he feels like he’s been waiting for ages. Though, that could just be a result of sitting around watching everyone else get their happily ever after’s.

“I’m happy for me too,” Louis says, taking his arm back and rubbing his hand over the mark. “I can’t believe it, I almost thought it would never happen.”

Liam smiles. “I told you it would,” he says, because he did, many times. “Now go to sleep, you aren’t going to find your soulmate in the middle of the night on their birthday.”

With a nod, Louis turns and shuts the light off before returning to bed. He’s almost too restless to sleep, though, and spends the rest of the night dragging his fingers over his mark and smiling until his eyelids close on their own accord.

 

* * *

 

Harry’s eighteenth birthday is turning out to be pretty shit.

He stayed up on the phone with his girlfriend, his mother having forbid him from going out on a school night so late, and now he’s almost happy she did. At exactly midnight, there’s an awful pain in his wrist and Harry’s heart feels like it’s beating right out of his chest. An anchor appears there when he blinks, huge and terrifying, sitting right above his wrist.

On the other end of town, his girlfriend gets nothing.

She isn’t happy with him, as if this is somehow Harry’s fault. She tells him in no uncertain terms they’re finished, before hanging up on him. Harry spends most of his night staring at his arm and cursing fate for ruining the best relationship he’s ever had.

Of course, Harry’s mum is having none of it. When he sulks downstairs that morning and tells her what happened, she simply crosses her arms over her chest and scowls.

“You are not going to let that ruin your special day,” Anne announces to him. “You’re eighteen, you have your mark, and you have a party later with all of your friends and family-don’t let her ruin that.”

Harry sighs, because he knows she’s right, but that doesn’t mean he wants to admit it. “I’m just sad, I guess,” he admits. “I really thought she was the one.”

Anne looks at him with the same looks every adult gives him when he says that sort of thing. It’s so patronizing, but Harry understands it. To people like his mum, soulmates are the end all be all of love. Harry, however, often wonders if you can only really love your soulmate.

“Well, we’re going to keep our chins up and have a great time tonight,” she says. “And you’ll forget all about whatever her name is. Now let’s get going, I need to drop you off at school a bit early to pick up your cake in time.”

Harry barks out a laugh. “Mum, that’s so rude.”

“School,” Anne says, waving him towards the door. “Let’s go, Harry, even birthday boys aren’t allowed to be late.”

Harry feels much better than he had all night, feels a bit lighter after having gotten all of his worries off his chest. He follows his mum out of the house with a rare smile on his face, imagining the girl fate has picked for him.

 

* * *

 

Louis walks into his flat and immediately into something ridiculous. It’s sad that he’s grown used to this.

“What on earth is going on?” Louis asks, looking at his living room floor, which is covered in those awful spinning toys the kids keep bringing to school at his teaching placement.

Niall pokes his head up from behind the couch and beams. “Louis!” he shouts, and the next thing Louis knows where’s a camera pointed at him. He really needs new flat mates-and new friends.

“Niall,” Louis yells back. “What is this?”

“It’s a challenge,” Niall says, like that makes sense at all. “We’re trying to-wait, Louis no!”

But it’s too late, Louis has already taken a wrong step forward. There’s a crunch under his vans and he watches the disappointment crash over Niall’s face. Sure enough, when Louis lifts his foot, there’s a crushed spinning nuisance underneath. Niall lets out a screech that is positively subhuman and Liam comes rushing in with his own camera, the kitchen door swinging shut behind himself.

“Oh my god, Louis, what did you do?” Liam moans.

Louis rolls his eyes and kicks a few of the toys out of his way, making a path into the living room. “I’ll buy you a new one, Niall,” he says. “Now pick these up before someone slips and kills themselves on them, christ.”

“That was my favorite one,” Niall whines, finally putting his camera down to collect his crushed toy. Sometimes, Louis thinks he has that camera surgically attached to his hand.

Louis sweeps his arm out, gesturing to the room which is covered in them. “Pick a new favorite,” he says. “I really don’t understand what you’re doing with your life anymore, Niall. This makes you money?”

“Yes,” Niall replies, still trying to reattach the middle piece to his toy. “Loads…well, not loads on this particular challenge, but it’ll blow up soon. You’ll see.”

“I have a name for your next video,” Louis says as he walks towards the kitchen. “Flatmate tries to murder me, not clickbait.”

Liam barks out a laugh and smacks Louis on the back as he walks by. “Brilliant,” he chuckles. “You are paying attention.”

Once in his too small kitchen, Louis drops his backpack on one of the chairs at their small table and peeks into the fridge. Of course there’s nothing in there of his own, he’s been putting off shopping for a week now. However, Niall’s food is starting to look particularly tempting.

“Why are you still here?” Louis asks Liam. “Are you and Zayn still fighting?”

Liam makes a face and fiddles with his camera lens to avoid Louis’ eyes. “Yes,” he admits. “But isn’t it great that I was there this morning? I got to spend that moment with you, Louis.”

“I’d much rather you spend your moments with your own soulmate, who you still owe an apology,” Louis replies.

Instead of eating, Louis starts the kettle and finds himself a mug. Maybe he can talk Niall or Perrie and Jesy into splitting the bill for takeaway tonight. Anything to put off grocery shopping, the one thing he hates more than walking into his house and finding Niall doing something stupid.

Niall comes into the kitchen and smiles at Louis. “You’re a real gem today, love,” he says.

“Sorry,” Louis sighs, rubbing at his forehead. “I’m just tired. The kids were running me ragged today, and I swear my cooperating teacher is a halfwit. I’ve also had this feeling all day of just, like, miserableness if that makes any sense. And a song stuck in my head that I don’t even know the words to.”

Instead of nodding and sympathizing with Louis’ pain like any good mate would do, Liam immediately beams.

“It’s your soulmate,” he gasps.

Louis raises his eyebrows and shakes his head. “I don’t know if I believe in that sort of thing,” he admits.

People say that there’s a mental link between soulmates, though it is deeper for some than others. It has been proven that you pick up on your soulmates emotions easier than you would someone else’s, but people like Liam believe it goes much further than that. They believe that it’s almost telepathic, this link, that you can feel what your soulmate feels, and that it affects your own emotions.

“I swear, Zayn always had songs stuck in my head before we met,” Liam continues. “And I can feel when he’s upset, no matter how far we are from each other.”

Louis smirks. “So, I’m sure today has been torture.”

Liam groans and throws his head back, acting ridiculous despite the fact that he has gotten himself into this situation. “Fine,” he sighs. “I’ll apologize.”

“And what have we learned?” Louis asks.

“Don’t try and start a prank war with your boyfriend who specifically asked you over and over not to,” Liam says. “And don’t drink your pain away the night before a big exam.”

Louis pats Liam on the head and nods. “Good lad.”

Niall laughs at the two of them. “You’re both mental,” he says, reaching for a mug for himself.

“You’re mental, with that spinning trap thing,” Louis shoots back, before he suddenly has a though. “Wait, Liam, if I’m supposedly feeling my soulmate then why is he miserable?”

“What?”

“It’s his birthday,” Louis says, slower for Liam in case he isn’t understanding. “He should be happy, not miserable, right?”

Liam shrugs and carefully starts putting his camera in his bag and collecting his things. No doubt going to grovel at Zayn’s feet and have amazing make up sex. Louis is a bit jealous.

“Calm down love, I’m sure it’s nothing,” he says.

Niall smiles and wraps his arm around Louis’ shoulders. “Louis, I always knew you were so the type to get all protective,” he coos. “This is going to be hilarious.”

“Aw, let him be,” Liam laughs, joining in on the teasing. “I was the same way at first. You’ll find him soon enough, Lou, don’t worry. He’ll never be allowed to be miserable again.”

“How do you know it’s a guy?” Niall asks. “Could be a girl.”

The three men pause for a moment and look at one another before bursting into laughter.

“Fate isn’t that cruel,” Louis replies.

 

* * *

 

Harry smiles as all of his friends and family sing Happy Birthday to him. His mum has taken a million pictures of him already as he just sits next to his candles, and takes about a million more when he blows them out. Everyone cheers, and he’s soon practically pushed to start opening presents.

Most of his friends give him gift cards, or clothes, and birthday cards that sing annoying songs. He’s presented with a brand new camera from his grandparents that was far too expensive, but he almost cries at the thought of making them take it back. He saves his mum and sister’s gifts for last, simply because they’ve both been practically buzzing with excitement about them since Gemma arrived from uni this afternoon.

“Open mine first!” Gemma says, shoving an envelope at him.

Inside is a birthday card, and he half expects to open it and find a check. Instead, it’s a packet that he frowns at.

“Plane tickets?” he asks, looking up to see Gemma and his mum both beaming.

“Now open mum’s!” Gemma says.

Harry does, and he wants to cry. This is the best birthday of his life. Despite the anchor that now sits on his wrist that caused mayhem and stares at school today, this is it.

“Mum, you didn’t have to,” he croaks out, though he’s now holding the tickets to Playlist Live close to his chest, lest someone try to rip them away.

Anne smiles and drops a kiss to his forehead. “You’ll have a great time,” she says. “Gemma’s coming as well, it’ll be a great trip for the two of you before you go off to uni.”

“I’m chaperoning,” Gemma announces with a proud smile. “Also, I just really want to go to Disney World. And maybe I can meet that one youtuber I really like and ask her how she does her brows.”

Harry jumps up and hugs both of them tightly. “Thank you,” he sighs. “You made today so much better.”

“You’re welcome love,” Anne murmurs, holding onto Harry tightly. “And don’t worry, okay? You have plenty of time to find your soulmate, and I’ll bet they’ll be even more wonderful than you could ever imagine.”

Harry’s party ends hours later with him waving off everyone out the door, thanking them for their presents. Once he’s free of all the people, Harry goes to his room, shuts the door, and turns his old camera on.

“Hi guys,” he choruses with a big grin. “So, I thought I’d play you one of my favorite songs today. I’ve been practicing quite a bit so hopefully it’s not shit.”

Letting out a laugh, Harry reaches for his guitar and starts strumming and singing Landslide to no one but himself and his camera. It’s strangely therapeutic, and though he only has around five thousand subscribers, he loves putting up new songs and seeing their responses. Once he’s finished and happy with how it sounds, he logs onto twitter to let everyone know he’ll have a new video up by morning, and spends the rest of his night watching funny videos until he passes out.

 

* * *

 

Niall wakes Louis up a few days later by jumping into his bed. Judging by the silence in the house, none of their other flat mates are awake, which means it must be disgustingly early. Perrie has her earliest class before everyone else and is usually the one who wakes Louis up with a tap on his door before she leaves.

So, to find an Irish lad sitting on his chest at the crack of dawn is a bit out of the ordinary.

“The fuck?” Louis groans.

Niall grins manically. “Louis,” he says. “Louis Tomlinson, you will not _believe_ the email my manager just got.”

“Why do you have a manager,” Louis mumbles.

“I have two million subscribers, Lou, I can’t be expected to handle this all on my own,”

At that, Louis just groans louder. “Niall, get out of my bed.”

“Tell me you love me,” Niall says. “Or I’m not taking you to Playlist Live with me.”

That wakes up Louis a bit more, only because he realizes the faster he gets to the bottom of this, the faster Niall will leave him alone.

“What’s that?” He asks, kicking at Niall.

Niall rolls his eyes but finally gets out of Louis’ bed, only to sit on Louis’ futon like he’s been invited in or something. “It’s a convention,” he says. “And I’m going to perform there and do a couple of panels and a meet in greet. They’re flying me out and putting me up and I have an extra space, and who else would I bring but my best mate Louis?”

“Why an extra space?” Louis asks.

He’s officially given up on going back to sleep, so he sits up and rubs at his eyes. He got no sleep last night, and he swears he’s starting to believe in this whole feeling your soulmate’s emotions thing. For no reason at all, Louis has felt anxious since he went to bed last night, like something big is happening, but he doesn’t know what. Maybe Liam is right, maybe he is just feeling what his soulmate is.

Niall shrugs at Louis’ question. “Soulmates, I guess,” he explains. “Hard to be across an ocean from them. Liam’s bringing Z, but I obviously don’t have one to bring.”

As always, hearing Niall talk so easily about his mark makes Louis inexplicably sad. Even now, Louis feels as though he can see it sitting on Niall’s collarbone, hidden under his jumper. It isn’t like Louis’ mark, or Liam, or Zayn’s. Niall’s mark is a small plus sign that he got at the age of seven. It’s white and raised from his skin, like a scar, a permanent reminder that he’s lost his soulmate.

It’s strange to see a mark like that on someone as young as Niall was when he got it. Usually you would see it on someone older, or you would hope to at least. You would hope someone got to spend the best years of their life with the one person meant for them. Louis’ mother got hers at sixteen, a thin white line shaped like a heartbeat that sits on her right ankle. As a child, Louis always thought it was beautiful, that it stood out from the marks he saw on his friend’s parents.

“Stop giving me that sappy look,” Niall laughs. “I’m fine, Lou.”

And Louis knows that Niall is, but he doesn’t know how. He doesn’t think he’d ever be able to live like that, and he used to worry that he might have to. Either that, or he’d end up someone with no mark at all, or more than one which is miles more complicated. Luckily, Niall has had most of his life to deal with these emotions, and he’s always seemed perfectly fine with it. If anything, Louis thinks Niall may even be happier for it.

“I know you are,” Louis replies, dropping the subject. “When is this thing, Ni? I can’t promise I can go, I have class. And you do too, by the way, in case you forgot. Having two million subscribers doesn’t automatically get you a degree.”

Niall smiles. “I’m going to drop out,” he announces, as he does almost every week. “Every famous youtuber drops out.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Right, and then a decade from now when that is obsolete, every youtuber can be unemployed because they dropped out of uni for it.”

“Pessimist,” Niall teases. “And it’s on a weekend, don’t worry. We wouldn’t miss any class really. You need to relax a bit anyway.”

Louis shakes his head. “I can’t relax, Ni, I have so much going on right now. And now you’ve messed up my sleeping schedule.”

“I’m sorry,” Niall says. “I’m just so excited, say you’ll go, Lou.”

Maybe Niall is right, maybe he does need to relax a bit. It’s been ages since he’s gone on a holiday, ages since he’s done anything other than work, sleep, and go to class. Surely he deserves a weekend off somewhere that’s warm and has room service readily available.

“I’ll think about it,” he decides. “I’ll have to see if I can get the time off work.”

Niall’s eyes go wide and he jumps to his feet with a loud cheer. “Yes,” he laughs. “I knew you’d go, Lou.”

“That isn’t a yes!” Louis calls, but Niall is already running out of the room, most likely to call Liam and let him know that Louis is tagging along.

Seconds later, Perrie appears in his open doorway, frowning. “What was that?” she asks.

“Trust me,” Louis sighs. “You don’t want to know.”

Perrie just nods and keeps walking.

Louis rolls out of bed and starts getting ready for his day. As usual, he gets the shower after Perrie, gets dressed, and gathers his books and his bag before heading downstairs for breakfast before he runs off to class. It isn’t a very exciting life, he’ll admit, but at least he has cereal to look forward to.

In the kitchen, Louis finds Niall and their other flatmate Jesy bickering over something, as usual.

“I think he’s cute,” Jesy is saying, gesturing to Niall’s laptop with her spoon. “Look at those curls, he’s a cherub.”

Niall shrugs, looking a bit put out over whatever it is they’re watching. “I dunno, he seems kind of pretentious, doesn’t he? Lou, come see this.”

Louis steals the cereal away from Jesy and pours himself a bowl. Niall is sitting at their kitchen table, wide awake, even though he doesn’t have class until this afternoon. He’s a morning person, something Louis cannot understand at all.

“Who’s that?” Louis asks, leaning over Niall’s shoulder and squinting at the video.

It’s a boy playing a cover of Landslide, Louis sees, and he’s absolutely stunning. Something strange settles in his stomach as he takes in the boy who is obviously recording himself with his phone in his bedroom. The lighting is a bit shit, and the quality isn’t great when you compare it to someone like Niall and his collection of too expensive cameras. He is absolutely beautiful, with curls and fringe swept over his forehead, big doe eyes, plush lips, and a smile on his face like singing is making him this happy. Louis can’t help but smile right back.

“Harry Edward,” Niall announces. “Came out of nowhere last night, look.”

Louis looks to where Niall is pointing with his mouse. Sure enough, there’s a little blue link under the boy’s video reading _#12 On Trending._

“He’s got an amazing voice,” Louis comments, standing up straight and spooning cereal into his mouth. “You’ve never seen him before?”

Niall shakes his head and then clicks on Harry’s channel. The cover Niall had been watching was posted four days ago, and the one before it is a celebration of five thousand subscribers. He’s closer to ten thousand now, but that number is climbing as Niall refreshes the page.

“I like him,” Louis says. “Let him be, Ni, he’s nowhere near encroaching on your territory.”

Jesy laughs. “There’s only room for so many cute youtubers in London, Lou, if you didn’t realize,” she jokes, hip checking him as he walks to the sink to rinse his bowl out.

“Right, sorry, don’t know what I was thinking,” Louis laughs.

Niall glares at both of them and shuts his laptop. “Fuck off. both of you,” he mutters. “He doesn’t even live in London.”

That just makes both Louis and Jesy laugh harder.

“Hear that Jes?” Louis chuckles. “He can keep making videos, he doesn’t live in London.”

Louis slips his bag over his shoulder and leaves the flat with a loud goodbye, ignoring Niall yelling after him as he goes.

 

* * *

 

Harry can’t quite believe what’s happening.

Last night before he’d gone to bed, someone had tweeted out his newest cover to a few popular youtubers. Someone had retweeted it, someone with more subscribers that Harry could ever dream of, and now this is happening. He’s getting more and more views and subscribers by the minute, his video is trending in the UK, and he really wishes he had opened his new camera to film that video.

Not that he could’ve seen this happening. Harry has a small, steady following of people, and this is explosive by his standards. He had spent all night refreshing his own video, watching the numbers go up and reading the comments with wide eyes. Paying attention in school today was essentially impossible with people he’s only ever dreamed of talking to tweeting him and commenting on his video.

Now, he sits in his living room. He’s meant to be studying for a science exam, but all he can focus on is his phone in his hand.

“Whatcha looking at?” Gemma asks, leaning over his shoulder to look down at his phone.

Instead of hiding it, Harry shows it to her. Gemma’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Holy shit,” she whispers, reaching out and grabbing the phone from Harry’s hands. “Holy shit, Mum!”

“Wait, Gemma-”

But it’s too late, Gemma takes his phone and starts running across the house to the kitchen. “Mum, look at this, Harry’s _famous_!”

Harry groans and jumps to his feet, chasing after her. When he reaches the kitchen, he finds both his sister and his mum looking at his phone. His mum looks up at him, raising her eyebrows.

“Harry, love, why didn’t you tell me about this?’

Harry shrugs. “It’s not a big deal,” he mutters.

“Not a big deal?” Gemma laugh. “Half a million people have seen this, Harry.”

Harry’s face goes red, because he can’t even imagine. Half a million people have seen him singing his favorite song alone in his room. It’s crazy to think about that many people out there, watching, judging.

“Can I have it back?” he asks, quietly.

Anne hands him his phone back with a smile and Harry escapes to his room to hide from the world. He lays down on his bed and does what he always does when he wants to hide from the world, watches hours upon hours of videos. He’s scrolling through his feed aimlessly when he sees a new video from Niall Horan called _MY FLATMATE TRIES TO KILL ME *NOT CLICKBAIT* || ROOMATE TAG!_

And the thing is, Harry kind of idolizes Niall. He’s been following the boy for over two years now, and has watched absolutely every video he’s ever posted. Niall’s an amazing singer, great at guitar, and on top of all of that, he’s hilarious. But that isn’t why Harry clicks on the video so quickly.

No, he clicks because of the other man in the thumbnail. The man who is staring at the camera with piercing blue eyes, looking absolutely fed up, and-Harry can’t really explain why, but he feels sort of strange.

The video opens with Niall turning the camera on, clapping his hands to sync the audio, and yelling, _What_ _’s up guys, it’s me Niall-_

He doesn’t get the chance to finish that thought, though, because his flatmate starts laughing. _God, why do you do that?_ He asks, and Harry is immediately endeared. He has to cover his laughter with his hand, not wanting to call attention to himself and invite his sister in to bother him.

Niall frowns. _Do what?_ He demands.

 _Say that,_ his flatmate says, still giggling a bit. He then sits up a bit off of the floor and gets close to the camera, speaking in a terrible Irish accent when he says, _Hey what’s up you guys, it_ _’s me Louis! See, I can do it too._

Niall rolls his eyes and his flatmate, Louis apparently, sips at his tea. It’s in a chipped mug that says _Students Tears_ on the outside. Louis looks quite proud of himself, with his little smirk, and Harry’s heart is beating a bit too fast now.

 _Anyway,_ Niall says. _I_ _’m Niall, and this is my flatmate Louis, and today we’re doing the roommate tag._

 _Yay,_ Louis says, sounding less than enthused. He still smiles, though, when Niall turns to glare at him.

They take a few more moments to bicker and Louis leaves to get more tea while Niall fills everyone in on his performing and meet and greet plans for playlist. When Louis returns, they begin with the first question.

 _Did you know each other before you became roommates?_ Niall reads off of his phone.

Louis shakes his head. _No, we were put together by the grace of god and the lottery that is student housing. My turn, what was your first impression of each other?_

Niall laughs. _Well, you had about a million girls here, so I thought you were a player._

It’s obvious this is a joke by the way Louis coughs loudly and starts laughing. _My little sisters, you mean, thanks for that. Disgusting,_ he chuckles. _My first impression of you was_ _…loud, Irish, and a bad bleach job, which you’ve grown out thank god. You were nice, though, and not a murderer like I worried you’d be._

 _Niall Horan, not a murderer,_ Niall says to the camera, sounding quite proud of that fact.

 _Your first album title,_ Louis says.

They run through a few more of the questions before Louis reads, _What do you think of your roommate_ _’s youtube channel?_

 _Lou hasn_ _’t got one,_ Niall says, much to Harry’s disappointment. He wants to see more of Louis. _I_ _’m trying to convince him though, I think it’d be hilarious._

 _Absolutely not,_ Louis replies. _And I think Niall_ _’s channel is mostly ridiculous. I like his covers, but the rest of it is stupid. Like that spinning challenge thing you made up._

Niall’s eyes go wide and he slaps Louis in the shoulder. _That isn_ _’t out yet, idiot._

 _Well, thank god,_ Louis says. _Now you can use my click bait idea for this video. I can get you all of the views, Niall, you just watch._

Instead of commenting on that, Niall rolls his eyes and goes back to the questions. They’re both hilarious, and they bounce off one another well. Just about everything they say has Harry laughing into his hand.

Niall comes up on a question that makes him gasp. _Louis, this is a good one! For everyone who asks how I met Liam, the next question is for you; have your roommates friends become your friends._

 _Yes,_ Louis answers with a grin. _Liam and me grew up together, he_ _’s my best mate._

 _Hey,_ Niall whines, faking hurt.

Louis rolls his eyes. _Okay, one of my best mates, but I_ _’ve known him since we were ten so he gets precedence. And Niall here actually knew Liam’s soulmate, so that was nice. We got to see them meet._

Niall gestures to his phone and says, _That leads us to the next question, actually. Have you met your roommates family or soulmate, or been to their home? Well, me soulmates dead so._

 _Niall,_ Louis laughs. _Jesus, mate._

 _Excuse Louis, he obsessed with soulmates,_ Niall says. _Just got his mark a few days ago actually, it_ _’s adorable. Show them, Lou._

Louis shakes his head, pulling at his sleeves like maybe his mark is hiding under there. _No, it_ _’s going to be fate when we meet,_ he says. _I don_ _’t want any of your weird fangirls drawing shit on themselves to get to you through me._

Niall rolls his eyes at Louis and says, _So, that_ _’s a no, I haven’t met Louis’ soulmate because he hasn’t either, and meeting mine is impossible. We have met each other’s family though, and I went to Lou’s house for Christmas last year. As much as he pretends not to like me._

 _It_ _’s hard not to love Niall, unfortunately,_ Louis teases. _Next question, last one, has being roommates changed your relationship?_

 _Definitely,_ Niall says. _Lou and me are best mates now, forever, and we probably wouldn_ _’t have even met if we weren’t flatmates. Even if I bother him sometimes, he loves me._

 _Aw, Ni,_ Louis says, sniffling and pretending to tear up. _You_ _’re one of my best mates too. I don’t know where I’d be without you-probably well rested, and less drunk._

Niall wipes at his eyes, faking tears as well, and shouts, _Bring it in, Lou!_

Louis puts his mug on the floor in front of his feet and holds his arms open for a hug that Niall throws himself into. Harry smiles and listens to the two of them prattle on for a bit more, Niall trying to get through his usual end of the video speech while Louis makes face, before the video ends. Louis is smiling at the camera, frozen now, and Harry can’t stop staring.

He doesn’t quite know what this feeling his chest is. It almost feels like…no, of course not. That’s impossible.

Harry frowns and promptly shuts his phone off, Louis’ face disappearing from his screen and his mind with a _click_.

 

* * *

 

The humid Florida air hits Louis in the face as soon as they walk out of the airport, sadly leaving the blessed air conditioning behind. It had been rainy and dull in London when they left, and he’s now seriously regretting his denim jacket. He frowns and reaches into his bag for his sunglasses.

“I’m so tired,” he mutters to Niall, following him through the maze of people waiting for their rides.

Niall laughs and elbows him. “You excited though? We’re in Florida, Lou. Sunshine state.”

Louis wrinkles his nose. “I’m a bit scared I’ll be eaten by a crocodile while we’re here,” he admits.

“I think they might be alligators,” Niall says, frowning thoughtfully.

“Crocodiles,” Louis repeats. “How far away is this hotel, Ni? I’m going to crash, you’re going to have to carry me in.”

“Not that far,” Niall says, grabbing Louis’ arm. “There’s the car, you can sleep when we get there. I have a bunch of shit to do anyway.”

Louis nods and yawns as they make their way over to the black car waiting for them. The driver takes their bags and makes small talk with Niall on the way to the hotel while Louis tries valiantly to keep his eyes open. In exchange for getting Friday through Monday off at work, he had stayed late last night. Waiting tables just reaffirms the general distaste he has for most people, and he was dead on his feet when Niall woke him early that morning to catch their flight.

On the brightside, the hotel is absolutely beautiful. Louis already has plans to sit by the pool, maybe get a tan, and let the heat sink deep in his bones before he’s swept back off to rainy London. All of that can wait until after he gets a nap, though.

The place is already swarming with youtubers as well as people going to the convention, a few of them even notice Niall who quickly evades them with Louis’ help. Thankfully, they get their keycards without incident, and Louis leaves Niall to do god knows what while he trudges off to the lifts.

The noise starts as Louis makes his way out of the lobby. He’s waiting at the lifts when the noise gets closer-yelling, he realizes. Girls yelling. But then there’s some laughter, and Louis realizes it’s probably not an emergency. One of those big celebrity vloggers with a trillion followers has probably shown up. Maybe they’re going after Niall. The thought of that makes Louis smile a bit evilly.

The lift arrives with a ding and the doors slide open. Relief washes over Louis when he sees that it’s empty. He needs some silence right now.

“Wait!” a voice yells from behind him as he’s waiting for the doors to shut. “Wait, hold the door!”

Louis stretches his arm out to stop the doors from sliding shut and suddenly there’s a boy sliding in. He reaches for the close door button and pushes it multiple times as the yelling gets closer. Louis looks out just in time to see a small crowd of girls rounding the corner before the doors shut.

It’s silent, save for the sound of the boy panting. He’s leaning against the glass wall of the lift, head down, his brown hair covering his face as they shoot upwards. Louis clears his throat, readjusting his bag on his shoulder.

“What floor?” he asks.

The boy looks up and Louis could swear time slows for a moment. The world outside the glass of the lift seems to come to a screeching halt as Louis stares at possibly the most beautiful boy he’s ever met. Curls fall around his face, disheveled from the boy looking down, and Louis suddenly aches to fix his fringe, test if his curls are as soft as they look. His eyes are a beautiful evergreen and his lips are pursed in a little pout that Louis wants to kiss off of him.

He looks just as shocked to see Louis as Louis is to see him. And then he opens his mouth and says, “Louis?”

The world around them seems to snap back into motion, the lift slowly bringing them up to Louis’ floor. He frowns, trying to remember why this boy looks so terribly familiar. Surely he would remember meeting anyone this perfect.

“Do we know each other?” Louis asks.

The boy’s pretty eyes go wide and he shakes his head, a blush rising on his cheeks. “Oh god, no, this is so embarrassing,” he stutters out. “I um-I’m a really big fan of Niall’s, Niall Horan, your friend Niall, and I’ve seen you in his videos, and I-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Louis laughs, stopping the poor boy before he chokes on his own tongue. “You looked familiar, that’s all. I was worried we met and I forgot you. I just got off a really long flight, I’m knackered.”

The boy bites his bottom lip and nods, somehow looking even prettier than he had before. “No, that’s-that’s fine. Um, sorry, yeah. We’re past my floor already.”

Louis blinks and looks up to find they’re passing the fifth floor now. “Jesus, mate, sorry,” he says. “I got distracted. What was that down there? Don’t tell me you’re some big celebrity and I’m making an arse of myself right now by not recognizing you.”

He laughs, and Louis loves the sound of it. Louis wants to keep him laughing forever, which he thinks is strange. It isn’t like he’s completely antisocial or anything, but Louis usually takes a while before he warms up to someone. This boy is obviously quite different.

“No, I wasn’t expecting that like, at all,” he explains, still looking embarrassed. “I was just supposed to go down there-someone dropped out last minute, I guess, and they asked me to play little set in a couple days, and then all those girls were there and they like, charged.”

“Charged,” Louis repeats with a smile. “Well, I’m glad I was here to save you from charging stampedes of fans, curly.”

The boy grins and ducks his head for a moment. “Thank you, Louis,” he says. “I’m Harry Styles, by the way.”

It clicks suddenly and Louis gasps. “That’s where I know you from,” he says. “You sang that Fleetwood Mac song!”

Once again, Harry’s cheeks go red, and Louis is loving it. He could make a day out of finding all the little things to say to make Harry blush like that.

“Yeah, um, that was me,” he says softly. “That’s kind of why all of this is happening, I’m not that good at knowing how to handle it just yet. A lot of people have watched it.”

“A lot of people watched it,” Louis repeats in a terrible imitation of Harry’s accent, which gets him to laugh. “It’s been the biggest thing for months now, and your other covers too. Everyone loves you, Harry. This is so cool, I’ve met a real internet famous person.”

Harry frowns and cocks his head. “Aren’t you best mates with Niall Horan and Liam Payne?”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Well, yeah, but they don’t count. They just live to bother me, the whole reason I’m here to hang out by a pool and get out of London for a bit.”

“Well, I hope you have a good time,” Harry says. “And um, like, maybe I’ll see you around? The thing, I mean. See you around.”

Louis smiles. “Don’t worry, curly, I don’t think I’m finished with you just yet. Here, give me your number and let me know when that set is. I’ll bring Niall, he’ll love it.”

Harry’s eyes go wide at the mention of Niall and then he’s quickly spouting off his number for Louis. Louis texts him a thumbs up emoji just as the lift doors open to the top floor. As tired as Louis is, he feels a bit reluctant to leave now.

“Well, it’s been nice,” Louis says. “Good luck with that stampede, Harry Styles.”

Harry smiles and nods to Louis as he steps out. “Thanks Louis. I’ll see you around.”

And then the doors shut, and Harry is gone.

 

* * *

 

Louis really should be trying to sleep off his headache and jet lag, but that’s not what he’s doing. After leaving Harry in the lift, Louis had appreciated how nice their hotel room was before passing out for two hours. Now, he’s laying in his bed, phone out in front of him, making his way through Harry’s videos.

It’s the first Louis has seen of him since the video Jesy and Niall had shown him. As much as Louis would like to, he doesn’t have much free time to stop and do things like watch pretty boys cover songs. Now though, he’s seen every video Harry’s posted and is now up to his newest one. The quality is a million times better than his earlier videos, and Harry is every bit as beautiful as he was in person, if not more so in person really.

 _Hi,_ Harry drawls, dragging the word out for a bit as the video starts. _So, to celebrate one hundred thousand subscribers, I thought I_ _’d do a little question and answer thing. A lot of people ask me questions of twitter and in the comments, but there’s a lot more of you now that what I’m used to, so I thought this would be a good idea._

Louis smiles. Harry is so cute, if not also a bit awkward. He talks so slowly and carefully, which makes everything sound quite serious, but he has such a goofy little smile. Louis loves it.

 _Right, so I_ _’ve sort of picked the ones you guys ask the most,_ Harry explains. _And the first one is, how old are you? I actually just turned eighteen not that long ago, which I guess gets up to the next question. Have you met your soulmate?_

Harry pauses for a moment, biting his lip and seeming to think it over, before shaking his head. _No,_ he says, looking back to the camera with a shrug. _I haven_ _’t, actually. I got my mark though, on my eighteenth birthday, so I suppose it won’t be too much longer now. It’s a bit terrifying actually._

Louis frowns when Harry doesn’t elaborate. Not that that isn’t normal, most of these famous types hide their marks until they find their soulmate, and Louis understands it. When he meets his soulmate, he wants it to be because fate threw them together. Still, people usually seem a bit more excited than Harry is. Louis was ecstatic when he got his mark.

Just thinking about whoever they are has Louis reaching down to rub his hand over his wrist. Whoever they are, they have more emotions than Louis could ever handle having himself. He’s started believing in what Liam and Zayn say over the past few months of experiencing odd songs stuck in his head and random moments of inexplicable happiness or sadness. He wonders if his soulmate can feel him just as strongly. He sends a silent apology to his poor soulmate for his constant stressful moods.

On screen, Harry continues reading off questions and answering them happily. Louis learns that he’s almost finished college and will be off to uni soon. It’s in London, which makes Louis’ heart skip a beat. Harry lives in a little town, has an older sister named Gemma, and he started playing guitar and singing at the age of twelve. He wants to study photography and film in uni, but he doesn’t know what he wants to do yet exactly, and his channel is just a hobby, though he loves watching other people’s videos.

It ends with Harry waving and letting everyone know he’ll be at Playlist Live soon. Louis smiles and switches from there to twitter.

Harry has tweeted him apparently, and is already following Louis.

 **@Harry_Edward** : thank you again @louist91 for saving me xx

Louis beams.

@ **louist91:** @Harry_Edward be careful out there without me curly

 

* * *

 

“Who is this Louis boy?” Gemma asks when she walks into their hotel room to find Harry sitting on his bed, staring at his laptop.

He doesn’t look up when he answers, “I met him in a lift. He saved me from a bunch of people who were waiting for me.”

Gemma laughs and jumps onto her bed beside his. “Really? That’s hilarious, where did they find you?”

“They were waiting downstairs, it was terrifying,” Harry says. “There were so many of them, Gemma, I don’t even know where they came from.”

Gemma just laughs harder and shakes her head. She watches Harry on his laptop for a bit longer as he scrolls through twitter.

“There’s a party tonight, you know,” she says.

Harry nods. “I know,” he replies. “But I don’t know if I want to go.”

Gemma groans. “Harry, love, the entire reason we’re here is for you. Don’t you want to have fun, meet some of your favorite youtubers? How are we supposed to do that if you stay cooped up in here all day on that computer?”

That’s true, but Harry is far more nervous than he thought he’d be coming here. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe he is meant only to sit in his bedroom all day, pretending the real world doesn’t exist. Or maybe his sister is right, maybe they should at least try one party. He should try to have fun.

“Okay,” he sighs, shutting his laptop finitely. “Fine, we can go.”

Gemma squeals and jumps to her feet to start getting ready.

They go together to a party meant for creators only, which Harry supposes he is now, and find a room filled with people. Music plays loudly from a DJ set up at the front and multicolored lights shine on the faces of people Harry is more used to seeing on his computer screens. Gemma grins and takes off almost immediately to mingle, leaving Harry to wander over to the bar before he realizes they won’t let him drink.

“Harry!” someone yells.

Harry whips around from where he’s been staring at a table full of candy and sees Louis. He’s standing a few feet away, just at the edge of the dancing crowd, waving at him. Harry beams and waves back. Louis drags someone behind him who looks vaguely familiar in the dark lights, but it becomes more obvious when they’re closer.

“Curly,” Louis greets, and it’s obvious he’s probably had a few drinks if his flushed skin and big smile are any indication. “This is Zayn, Zayn this is Harry.”

Zayn, or Liam Payne’s soulmate as Harry knows him, smiles good naturedly. “I know you, you do those sick covers. Liam loves them.”

Harry’s eyes go wide. “He watches my videos? Really?”

Louis laughs and shakes his head. “You’re so cute,” he teases. “Look at him, Z, isn’t he adorable?”

In the dark, Harry can feel his face starting to go red, but Zayn just smiles. “Don’t mind Louis,” he says. “He’s been talking about you nonstop all day. He thinks you’re-what was it you said, Louis?”

“Shut the fuck up?” Louis guesses.

Zayn rolls his eyes but is still smiling when he says, “Disney princess levels of cute, that’s what he said. Like Rapunzel?”

“Rapunzel?” Harry asks.

Louis crosses his arms and glares at Zayn who just laughs. “Yeah, Rapunzel’s his favorite. He cries every time he watches Tangled.”

“I think Liam is calling for you, actually,” Louis says quite loudly, though no one is calling for Zayn. “Best go save him, his arm is probably sore from holding up that monstrosity of a camera all night.”

Zayn rolls his eyes and nods. “Right, sure Louis. I'll see you around, Harry.”

“Bye,” Harry calls as Zayn turns and disappears back into the crowd.

As soon as he's gone, Louis turns to Harry. He looks quite proud of himself for getting rid of Zayn, and neither of them mention the fact that Louis has apparently been talking about him.

“Getting into any more trouble without me, Harold?” Louis asks.

Harry shakes his head. “No, I'm fine really, I'm just sort of awkward at parties.”

“I would be too, this place is sad,” he says, turning to look at the dance floor. Most of the people here have either their phones or their cameras out, recording everything that happens. “I think if anyone here had to live in the moment, they might just die. Niall keeps having people reset and retell jokes.”

Harry laughs and shrugs, running his hand over his camera. It's safely packed away in his camera bag. “I don't think I could ever do that,” he admits. “It's too embarrassing to talk to my camera anywhere but my room.”

They both go silent and look over the party. The rainbow lights are playing across Louis’ skin so wonderfully, and the DJ is playing a remix of a pop song Harry has heard a million times before. The strange feeling is back in his stomach, the same feeling he had the very first time he ever saw Louis in Niall's video, and he doesn't know what it is.

He knows what it feels like, though. It feels like heartache, like nights he spent with his girlfriends before, like spotting someone you fancy across the room at a party and realizing they're smiling right back at you.

“Let’s go.”

Harry looks up from where he's been blatantly staring at Louis and blinks. “Go?” he asks.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Louis repeats, and then he reaches for Harry's hand.

The moment their skin touches it’s like sparks shooting up Harry's arm, but he writes it off as static. Louis smiles and grabs two beers from the table beside them, hiding them behind his back. He tugs Harry's hand and pulls him towards the doors.

“I’m not allowed to drink here,” Harry points out as they stumble out into the warm night. They're by one of the pools at the hotel, which seems to be deserted. Louis lets go of his hand and gives him one of the beers.

“That's stupid,” Louis says, rolling his eyes. “Me neither, technically. I'm twenty years old, been drinking longer than most people have been alive.”

Harry giggles, watching Louis struggle with the twist top on the beer. “I don't think that's true,” he points out.

“Well, that's because it's not,” Louis concedes. “Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit.”

They walk closer to the pool, and find the entire area empty. They're far enough from the party now that they can no longer hear the pounding bass. Instead, there are just the sounds of crickets chirping and the pool filters running.

Louis leads them to a set of pool chairs and sits down, stretching his legs out. Harry sits in the chair beside him, carefully opening his beer while Louis watches. The sun is still setting, and the sky is painted in beautiful colors, pink, purple, orange, red. The pool itself is lit as well, blue lights fading to green lights and back again slowly under the water.

Harry looks up from his beer to find Louis watching him.

“I saw some of your videos today,” he says. “You like photography?”

Harry nods and gestures to his camera bag. “Yeah, it's probably my favorite thing to do after singing,” he says softly. “I brought it to take some pictures for my mum, maybe of the sunset and stuff.”

“Adorable,” Louis sighs, sitting back on his chair and looking up at the sky. “Always love a boy who loves their mum that much. Good sign.”

He doesn't elaborate, and Harry doesn't ask him to.

Without thinking, Harry puts his beer down on the ground and takes his camera out. He busies himself screwing his new lens on but he can feel Louis watching him.

“You don't make videos like that,” Louis says. “Like artsy ones, I mean. Why not?”

Harry laughs softly. “I got the impression you hated that shit.”

Louis makes a face and shakes his head. “No, not so much,” he admits. “I can appreciate art, love, I'm not entirely bitter. I can't appreciate Niall and Liam being stupid and pranking people for views. I like those aesthetic videos, you know? Cool music, long shots, like a film sort of. Those are nice.”

Harry grins, because that's exactly what he likes as well. He's just been a bit hesitant to make any outside of making them for himself, or for his portfolio. He's worried that the people who subscribed to watch him sing won't like it. When he tells Louis as much, the older man just shakes his head.

“You don't owe them shit,” he says. “If that's what you like to do, then you should do it.”

Somehow, that makes Harry feel better.

“Maybe I'll make one for you then,” Harry says, and he's joking, but Louis smiles.

“Maybe you should,” he says. “Of me, right now, looking so cool in me hoodie and shorts.”

Harry giggles and turns his camera on Louis, pressing record. “What do you have to say to the world, Louis?”

Louis seems to think about it for a moment, and Harry's breath is short. Just as he'd suspected, Louis exactly like he belongs in the sort of videos he'd described. He's beautiful, the sharp angles of his face and the leg he's resting his arm on outlined by the setting sun, one hand holding the neck of his beer bottle like he hasn't got a care in the world.

Not that Harry thinks he's beautiful in anything other than an objective sort of way. Louis is aesthetically pleasing, interesting to photograph and film. Nothing wrong there.

“Subscribe to Harry's channel,” Louis says, grinning at the camera. “Because he's going to do whatever the hell he wants to do and not become one of those boys in that party.”

Harry giggles. “Louis, I can't put that in!”

“Mute me and put cool music over it, obviously,” Louis replies, winking at Harry before he takes a sip of his beer.

Harry just shakes his head and stands up. He gets some shots of the sunset, the pool water rippling, and some more of Louis as he talks.

And he talks a lot, actually. He talks the entire time Harry walks around the pool area with his camera, but Harry doesn't mind. He likes it. He likes not having to carry the conversation, because not only does he find himself inexplicably nervous around Louis, he likes listening to what Louis has to say.

“You're going to be a teacher?” Harry asks as he comes around the pool to sit again.

Louis smiles and stops his rambling to nod. He’s smoking now, but he stubs it out after watching the way Harry’s nose tweaks around it. “Yeah, if I make it through my placement. My teacher is a bit stupid, but I love the kids, it's so much fun.”

“That sounds lovely,” Harry sighs. He carefully puts his camera away, as it's become far too dark to continue. “I don't know what I want to do with my life exactly.”

“You have time love, you're only a kid,” Louis says.

Harry pouts at him, and though it's dark, Louis smiles like he catches it in the dim light. “I’m not a kid, I'm eighteen. I'm going off to uni in the fall and I have no solid plans for my life.”

“I didn't either when I started,” Louis says. “You have time, don't rush yourself. It'll come to you when you least expect it. I mean, I was sitting in my maths class one day and just realized I hate maths and I want to be a drama teacher.”

Again, Harry finds himself feeling better just at Louis’ advice. It's ridiculous how easily Harry finds himself connecting with Louis. They don't even know each other, they met only hours ago, but Harry feels incredibly comfortable with him like he's known Louis for ages.

“Who was that girl you were with earlier,” Louis asks out of nowhere. “Your girlfriend?”

Harry laughs and shakes his head quickly. “No, god no. That was my sister, she's actually enjoying herself. I've just never been one for parties.”

“So no girlfriend?” Louis asks, sounding shocked. “With that face, I don't believe it.”

Harry ducks his head and shrugs. “My last girlfriend left me,” he blurts out, and he doesn't know why he's telling Louis this. “She broke up with me on my birthday. She's a month older than me, and I got a mark on my birthday, but she didn't.”

Louis winces at the story. “I’m so sorry, love,” he sighs. “God, that's awful. She could've at least waited until it wasn't your birthday.”

That's not usually the response Harry gets, and it surprises him. Usually when he tells people this story, they either laugh or just belittle how much the break up upset him. He shouldn't really be so upset, they reason. After all, he got his mark, it should be the happiest day of his life besides the day he actually meets his elusive soulmate.

“It's okay,” Harry sighs. He looks up to the sky, staring up at the stars above them. “I think I kind of knew deep down, you know? Do you know how you can just tell sometimes whether someone is going to last?”

Louis laughs and when Harry turns, he finds the man staring at him rather than the sky. “Yeah love,” he murmurs. “I think I do.”

 

* * *

 

Saturday is spent running around through the convention, going to meet and greets, watching panels, and spending money on merchandise Harry really doesn’t need. By the time afternoon rolls around, Harry is exhausted and starving. He and Gemma order room service to their room and lay around for a bit, Harry sitting on the balcony with his laptop, and Gemma laying on her bed.

“I’m going to the pool,” Gemma announces to him, finally pushing herself up. “I’ll be back in an hour and we’re leaving, okay? We have fast passes for Space Mountain and I’m not missing that for you.”

Harry nods and shoots her a thumbs up before going back to editing.

This was a stupid idea, he realizes that. It’s just that ever since he and Louis parted ways last night, all he could think about was his advice. _You don_ _’t owe them shit._ And yes, maybe that’s a bit harsh, but he gets where Louis is coming from. Youtube is Harry’s hobby, and hobbies are supposed to make you happy.

So far, he and Louis haven’t seen much of each other today. Harry has only been able to catch glimpses of him from across rooms, and once when he and Gemma were at Niall’s gig. Louis had been standing in front of the barrier at the front of the stage and their eyes had caught somehow across the sea of people. But then Louis had smiled, and Harry could’ve sworn they were the only two people in the world.

That’s when the video just came to him. It’s only two minutes long, and in the background Harry is playing a guitar and humming a tune that just came to him. The video itself is what Louis had said he liked; long shots starting out with Harry’s flight into Florida, the clouds, blurry shots of the hotel hallways, the sunset, the pool lights, and then silhouettes of Louis, the orange glow of his cigarette, the outline of his jaw when he laughs. The video gets darker as it goes along, as the sun sets and turns the world dark blues and purples, but Louis is so bright.

Harry loves it. It’s so different from what he normally posts, and he loves it.

With no clue what to title it, Harry just simply names it _for louis_ and starts uploading it. The internet in the hotel is a bit shit, but he’ll have just enough time to get it up before he and Gemma leave for Disney World.

While he waits, Harry makes himself a cup of tea and changes his clothes. When he walks back out to the balcony, he hears his phone go off.

It’s a text from Louis, and Harry grins immediately.

_Harold! I saw you from afar today what are you doing tonight ??_

Harry bites his lower lip to keep his smile under control and types back, _my sister and I are going to disney in a bit_

 _Oh my god,_ comes Louis’ reply, quickly followed by another. _Ni and I are going to disney tonight too!!! Are you stalking me curly_ _…_

 _Never,_ Harry writes back. _Maybe you_ _’re stalking me._

 _Maybe,_ Louis concedes. _We should meet up love_

Harry has butterflies in his stomach when he thinks about it. Disney World with Louis Tomlinson, now wouldn’t that be lovely? He quickly types Louis back with his and Gemma’s plans for the night, and learns that Louis and Niall also have plans to see Fantasmic that night before they leave. It’s almost like fate and they quickly plan to meet up and go together.

 _I_ _’ve got to go now,_ Louis texts after they’ve made their plans. _Liam_ _’s doing some panel thing and I promised to go. I’ll see you later love xx_

 _Bye xx_ Harry texts back.

And then he looks down at his video uploading and panics.

 _Wait Louis,_ he texts quickly. _I_ _’m about to post a video like you said last night. Is that okay? You’re in it a lot._

A little bubble appears as Louis types and Harry feels like his heart is about to burst. What if Louis says no? What if Harry misread their entire conversation last night and Louis thinks he’s weird?

Why does Harry care so much what Louis thinks of him?

After what feels like an eternity, though it was really only about a minute, Louis replies.

 _I_ _’m flattered love send me a link when it’s up. I better look cool._

Harry breathes a sigh of relief. _The coolest,_ he texts.

The video uploads at a snail’s pace but is finally ready to be posted by the time Gemma’s back and hogging up the shower. Harry leaves a little note in the description of the video, saying that he knows the video is a bit different from what he would normally do and asking for honest opinions. He knows he’s probably going to regret that and hastily closes out of everything on his laptop as soon as the video is up.

It’s hot out, Harry realizes as he’s packing up his things. He can’t get away with a hoodie or a long sleeve shirt tonight without dying of heat, and that presents a problem.

“Gemma?” Harry calls when his sister walks out of the bathroom, hair still wet. “Could you cover this?”

Gemma’s eyebrows shoot up. “Your mark?” she asks, even though Harry is obviously pointing right at it. “Love, why would you want to do something like that?”

“I just want it covered,” Harry mutters, glancing down to where the anchor sits on his arm. “It’s huge.”

Gemma makes a face at him, like she’s considering saying no. “What if you meet your soulmate today,” she asks. “Don’t you want to know?”

And the thing is that no, Harry really doesn’t want to know anymore. He’s more than a little confused about himself as well as his situation, and he needs some time to deal with it. Meeting his soulmate now would just be completely disastrous.

“Please just cover it,” he begs. “Please?”

The two siblings stare at one another for a moment, and Harry knows that Gemma doesn’t understand. Ever since she got her mark over a year ago now, she’s been trying everything to find her soulmate. Most people probably wouldn’t understand what Harry’s going through right now, he realizes.

“Fine,” she sighs. “But you’re going to explain all of this to me eventually, once you’ve sorted out what’s wrong. You’ll never meet your soulmate by hiding your mark from her.”

That’s just the problem really, Harry thinks as his sister begins dabbing layers of makeup onto his arm.

Harry’s starting to think his soulmate might not be a girl.

 

* * *

 

Louis has decided he doesn’t ever want to leave Disney World. When he tells Niall as much, he laughs but quickly agrees.

“I think we should live here,” Niall says, taking a bite out of his Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream. “We can hide here after they close, live with the cats. No one will notice a thing.”

“That is an absolutely brilliant idea,” Louis says, deadpan. “Come on, we need to get on that boat.”

Louis feet are aching from trapezing all over Epcot, but Niall seems to be running on a sugar high at this point. They take a boat from Epcot to Hollywood Studios where they’re meeting Harry and his sister.

He’s surprised to find that he’s actually nervous to see Harry again. Louis had been a bit tipsy last night, and far more brave than he would be normally. It’s hard to remember that he has a soulmate when he thinks of Harry, that he’s promised to someone else, that it probably isn’t a good idea to develop a crush on him.

“Who are we looking for?” Niall asks once they’re back on land and Louis’ legs are back to burning and aching from all the walking he’s done today.

Louis hums and looks around. They’re standing around outside Tower of Terror where he’d promised to meet Harry.

“Cute boy, curly hair,” Louis explains, searching the crowds. “He’s with his sister as well, and he said he had a pair of ears on.”

Niall laughs. “Everyone has ears on,” he mutters, searching the crowd as well. “Wait, is his sister hot? Because I think I found him.”

Louis spins around to look at where Niall is pointing and grins. Sure enough, Harry is standing beside the same girl Louis had seen at the party last night. Harry is searching the crowds as well, pouting a bit and looking unbearably cute in a pair of sparkly Mickey ears that poke out of his curls.

“Harry!” he shouts.

Harry whips his head around and grins when he spots Louis. He holds his arms out wide and Louis takes this as an invitation to make a run for him and hug him tightly.

“You’ve known each other all of two days,” Harry’s sister points out with a laugh when they collide.

Louis laughs back and pulls away, though he keeps one arm wrapped around Harry’s waist. “We’re best mates now, actually. I’m Louis, you must be Gemma.”

Gemma smiles and tilts her head a bit, taking Louis in. “He told you about me, how flattering.”

“This is Niall,” Louis says, gesturing to the younger man who is walking up. “Niall, this is Harry I was telling you about, and his sister Gemma.”

When Harry sees Niall, his eyes go wide and he goes stiff under Louis’ arm. He must not have been lying about that whole loving Niall thing. Louis saw him this afternoon at Niall’s gig, he looked like he was loving it. Niall was singing songs from his newest ep and Harry was singing along, knowing every word.

So he seems a bit star struck when he says, “Oh, uh, hi Niall. I’m a huge fan, I think you’re amazing. Your set was great today.”

Louis laughs. “Don’t tell him that, he’ll start to believe it,” he stage whispers.

Niall rolls his eyes. “Fuck off Louis,” he replies, before shooting Harry a smile. “And thanks mate, I’m glad you liked it. Your covers are sick.”

Harry looks shocked, but is quick to thank him. Louis breaks up their little love fest by demanding they get in line before they’re stuck with shit seats. Unfortunately, this means that he has to let go of Harry’s waist. Louis instantly hates the feeling of no longer holding the boy, which he supposes is inappropriate.

They’re in line for almost an hour before they’re pushed through into the amphitheater to find seats. Somehow in that span of time, Niall has managed to use every bad pick up line he can think of to try and get Gemma to even look at him twice. Louis and Harry stand behind them, snickering to each other every time Niall is shut down by her.

“He’s absolutely hopeless,” Louis whispers to Harry as they walk towards an open spot. “I feel bad for the poor kid, honestly.”

Harry giggles and nods. “Gems is cold,” he whispers back. “I love it.”

They sit down just before the show starts, their seats up far in one corner but not so far that they won’t be able to see. Harry sits on Louis’ left, Niall on his right, and poor Gemma is stuck beside him.

“Let’s take a picture,” Harry says, reaching into his pants pocket for his phone.

Louis reaches up and gently fixes his ears so they’re not falling to one side.

“Those are cute,” Louis says, though what he really means is _You are cute._ “Where did you get them?”

Gemma laughs. “He bought them off of some website especially for today. They cost a million dollars.”

“Hey,” Harry whines, putting one hand on his ears defensively. “It was Etsy, and they weren’t that expensive. Plus, they’re sparkly.”

Louis nods, choosing to ignore Niall who is openly laughing at all of them. “They’re sparkly, Gemma,” he says quite seriously.

Harry giggles and lifts his phone up in front of them. They have to squeeze in close to get a picture, Louis ending up with one cheek pressed to Harry’s and the other pressed into Niall’s. Harry takes a few before he’s satisfied, but then starts insisting he gets one with just himself and Louis where Louis isn’t making a face.

“But I have to pull a face,” Louis says. “It’s my brand.”

Harry pouts at him through his front facing camera, and Louis sighs. The things he’d be willing to do for this boy are insane, considering they hardly know one another. He puts on his best smile, no funny faces, and Harry gasps happily before snapping the picture.

“What’s your instagram?” Harry asks, looking very busy with whatever it is he’s doing now.

Louis recites it off for him and Harry nods, biting on his thumb as he picks a photo of all of them and one with just him and Louis. He edits them a bit so they’re easy to see, Louis watching all of it over his shoulder as Harry tags each of them and captions it with a mouse emoji.

“You’re such a hipster,” Louis murmurs.

Harry shakes his head. “M’not,” he says, turning to pout at Louis.

“You are,” Louis says, reaching out to scroll through Harry’s instagram. “You have a theme and everything, christ kid.”

Harry pulls his phone away, still pouting. Louis sort of wants to kiss him.

“I like consistency,” he says.

That shouldn’t be as endearing as it is, but Louis is finding it quite hard not to like Harry Styles.

“Why are you called Harry Edward on everything?” Louis asks, following Harry back and liking the picture of himself.

Harry shrugs. “It’s my middle name,” he explains. “I don’t know, I just think it sounds nicer.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Harry Styles is a proper popstar name,” he points out. “You were made for this. I watched your video, by the way, I loved it. I looked just as cool as I hoped I would.”

Harry blushes and ducks his head for a moment, curls falling into his eyes. “You think so?” he asks.

“Yeah, mate,” Louis says, picking at his jeans so he doesn’t have to look at Harry. “I mean, like, the music in the background was great. I liked all the shadows and stuff, and how the different colored lights look-I probably sound like an idiot, don’t I?”

Harry shakes his head quickly. “No, you don’t Lou,” he says. “Thank you, really. It means a lot that you liked it.”

His words give Louis enough courage to pick his head up and smile. Harry smiles back, and before Louis realizes what’s happening, the show is starting.

Really, Louis should be paying attention to Mickey conducting a lake full of magic sprinklers, or whatever it is he’s doing. Instead, he’s focused on Harry. Harry’s eyes are open wide, taking in everything that happens in front of them without about as much enthusiasm as all of the kids around them. His jaw is hanging open a bit like he’s never seen anything so wonderful in his life as these trippy neon monkeys, and Louis loves it.

Louis is sure he’s never seen anyone more beautiful than Harry is in this moment.

Harry gasps and Louis turns to see what’s going on. “It’s Pocahontas,” Harry murmurs to him. “I love her.”

Louis smiles and rests his chin on Harry’s shoulder, trying to pay attention to what’s going on instead of Harry’s reaction. It’s quite hard, he finds, especially now that he can feel every little gasp and murmur under himself.

“Are you cold?” Louis murmurs when he feels Harry shiver underneath him. In front of them, all of the princesses are floating by and singing. Louis can clearly hear Niall singing along beside him, which he is never going to let Niall live down.

Harry shrugs a bit, not taking his eyes off the show. “A bit,” he whispers.

Louis pulls back and shrugs out of the hoodie he’s wearing. Harry quietly thanks him and puts it on just in time for the nightmare sequence to start. The witch on stage laughs and Harry seems genuinely concerned for Mickey’s wellbeing, as if a neon snake might really eat him in front of this crowd of children.

“I think it has a happy ending,” Louis whispers to him, resting his chin on Harry’s shoulder once more.

Harry pouts and shakes his head. “You don’t know that,” he whispers back.

Louis tries his best to hold in his laughter and moves closer to Harry’s ear to say, “I have it on quite good authority that Mickey won’t be eaten or blown up tonight.”

Harry shivers once more and nods.  “If you’re so sure,” he says.

The music gets faster and faster as the nightmare progresses and Louis starts to get a bit worried for Harry’s sake that the entire place is just going to catch fire once the dragon shows up. Luckily, as it is Disney, good defeats evil and Mickey soon slays the dragon with fireworks or something. Louis isn’t entirely sure, he’s too busy laughing at Harry who is cheering earnestly as if Mickey’s just saved them all.

“This is the best,” Harry whispers to Louis as a steamboat appears around the corner, carrying just about every Disney character to ever exist. “I’m never leaving, I’m staying here and demanding they show it again.”

Louis laughs and shakes his head. “You’re adorable,” he says, mostly because it just slips out.

Even in the dark, Louis can see Harry’s cheeks heating up. Both of them go back to watching as the show ends. Louis will admit, it is a bit insane, the sheer amount of fireworks and enthusiasm around him. Even he gets a bit into it as well, cheering along with everyone else when Mickey appears and reappears in a flash.

“That was so cool,” Harry sighs and everyone else starts standing up to leave. “I didn’t want it to end.”

“Me neither,” Louis agrees, because he didn’t. He could’ve sat and watched Harry react to that show all day and never be sick of it. It probably doesn’t bode well for Louis that he’s grown so attached so quickly, considering that they’ll only be near one another for another day or so.

Add that on top of the fact that Louis has a soulmate he should be looking for, and this all seems like one awful idea.

They walk out along with a sea of other people, slowly filing out while Niall goes on about how he should’ve recorded the whole thing and Gemma asks how exactly they put fireworks into a sword. Harry is still wearing Louis’ hoodie, which is a bit big on him but seems to fit Harry perfectly. Louis keeps one hand bunched up in the back of it, ensuring that they don’t lose one another in the crowd.

The four of them make it out in one piece and meet up together to say goodbye.

“We should get going,” Gemma sighs reluctantly. “Harry has his gig tomorrow.”

Niall’s eyes light up and he nods. “Louis was telling me about that! We’ll have to come and see you.”

Harry nods, though he looks embarrassed. “That’d be great. I’ll see you both tomorrow, then. Louis, your hoodie.”

Harry slips out of the hoodie and holds it out to Louis who grabs it back with a smile. In one moment, Harry goes from happy and content to wide eyed and stunned. He stares at Louis and pulls his hand away like he’s been burned.

Louis frowns. “You alright, Harry?” he asks.

That seems to snap Harry back and he quickly nods, tearing his eyes away from staring at Louis. “Yeah, um, I’m fine,” he stutters out. “Thank you, for seeing that with us. And for coming tomorrow-you don’t have to, really.”

“I’ll be there,” Louis promises, putting his hoodie back on. “First one in line to see you.”

Harry smiles again and nods before stepping forward and enveloping Louis in a hug. Louis hugs him back just as tightly, burying his nose in Harry’s curls and hoping his hoodie caught some of that cologne he’s wearing.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispers before he pulls away.

Niall yells a goodbye to Gemma before the two siblings turn and walk away, Harry’s sparkly Mickey ears disappearing into the crowds of people. Niall sighs as soon as they’re out of sight and shakes his head.

“Be careful,” he says.

Louis frowns. “What?”

“I said be careful,” Niall repeats. “He’s straight as far as I know, Lou, and you’re supposed to be looking for your soulmate now remember?”

Louis rolls his eyes, even though he was thinking those same thoughts only moments ago. “Don’t be stupid Niall, we’re just friends,” he says.

And he’s mostly trying to convince himself of that, Louis realizes with a start.

Shit.

 

* * *

 

Louis Tomlinson is probably his soulmate, and it hits Harry hard.

Harry has spent his entire life planning for a future with a girl, and in that one moment when Louis reached out for his hoodie with a rope on his wrist, it all came crashing down around him. One moment, that’s all it took.

Gemma asks him what’s wrong and Harry lies, saying it’s just nerves, which isn’t entirely a lie. He is nervous for his gig, which has made his stomach a bit upset, but it isn’t entirely that. It’s mostly the fact that Louis might be his soulmate.

When Harry really thinks about it-and he does really think about it, all night, getting now sleep-it makes sense. He has always been a bit attracted to men the past, but he always sort of shoved it off. A lot of that had to do with the fact that ever since a young age, when people asked him about his future soulmate, it was always a she.

 _What do you think she will be like, Harry?_ Is a question he’s been asked since he was far too young to be worried about that sort of thing.

But Louis-would it be so bad?

Would it be so awful to belong wholly to Louis for the rest of his life? He certainly isn’t hard on the eyes, he’s hilarious, and gentle when he needs to be. He wants to be a teacher, so he must like kids right? Why is Harry thinking about kids right now?

Harry groans and rolls over onto his stomach, shoving his face into the too soft hotel pillow. He’s never been with a man before, never even held hands with one, or kissed one, let alone anything deeper. Surely fate wouldn’t be this cruel. Surely fate wouldn’t set him up with a man if he weren’t meant to be with one.

Harry pushes himself up and looks around the room. Gemma’s gone swimming again, leaving him alone in the room to psych himself up for his gig in three hours. Three hours alone in his hotel room.

Harry gets up and stumbles across the room for his laptop. He has enough sense to shut the blinds before heading back to his bed and opening. The slow hotel wifi takes a bit to load, but once it does, Harry goes right to Niall’s channel.

The flatmate video Niall had made with Harry was uploaded February sixth, five days after Harry’s birthday. In the video, Niall mentions that Louis got his mark only days ago. A rope and an anchor correspond, and they’re on corresponding wrists. If they held hands, their marks would match up perfectly.

On top of all of this, it would make sense. Harry has felt strangely connected to Louis since the moment he saw him in this video, and when their eyes met in that lift he could’ve sworn time just stopped. Harry has never felt so close to a friend he barely knows in so long, and every time they touch it feels like electricity over Harry’s skin.

Harry bites his lip and closes his tabs before opening one on private, lest his sister or mum need to borrow his laptop someday and find a treasure trove of gay porn. He’d really like to avoid that being the way his family finds out about his possible sexuality, thank you very much.

For some reason, Harry feels embarrassed, even though there’s no one around to judge him. The little bubble next to the website name says _Gay_ , like it’s teasing him.

“Fuck you, bubble,” Harry mutters, before realizing exactly what he’s saying and carefully scrolling down.

Right. Okay. This is fine.

It’s fine.

Harry is so fine, he’s beyond fine. It’s just that he actually really likes this-who would’ve guessed? He clicks between a few amateur videos, making a face at some of the more intense ones, before finally relenting and shoving a hand down his pants.

Fate’s a bitch, but he supposes he can take this as a sign.

 

* * *

 

Louis drags everyone to Harry’s gig as early as they can. Louis wants to be right up front, like he promised, and Niall and Liam want to avoid anyone seeing them walking and disrupting Harry’s set. They manage to talk someone into letting them sit on the floor in front of the barriers before people start filing in. Niall and Liam take a few pictures with people, but Harry’s crowd looks a bit different from Niall’s the day before.

The crowd is full by the time Harry ambles up onto the stage to the sound of cheering, and Louis is glad. He’s glad this place is packed with people who want to hear Harry sing, because that’s how it should be.

Harry looks nervous, his cheeks flushed red and smile a bit forced. He’s wearing a flannel despite the fact that it’s sweltering outside. He smiles out at everyone, his guitar hanging from his neck.

“Hi,” he says once he reaches the microphone, drawing the word out as everyone claps and cheers for him. Harry grins, looking a bit more sure of himself now, and lets his eyes sweep over the crowd. They land on Louis, sitting right in front of him, and Harry bites his bottom lip and gives him a very small wave with the hand holding his guitar.

“So, I have just a few songs for you guys,” Harry says, drumming his fingers against his guitar. “And I hope you like them, I've never actually done something like this before, so forgive me if it's shit.”

Louis laughs and Harry immediately looks at him, biting down on a smile.

“Okay,” Harry says. “This first one I’m sure you all know.”

Harry looks down at his guitar before carefully adjusting his microphone. He then starts strumming and smiling as the crowd cheers for it. He plays _Landslide_ first, which Louis had expected, and then _Dreams_. They're both beautiful, and Harry progressively seems to get more and more confident as he sings.

The third song is a song he's written himself, which Louis has seen on his channel. It's called _Sweet Creature_ , and Louis could swear Harry's looking at him more than the crowd.

“I can't believe you know the words,” Harry laughs into the microphone. “Okay, so I'm running low on time, which is kind of appropriate because I only have one more song for you guys. It's kind of new, I only just wrote it a few weeks ago. I hope you like it, this is _Ever Since New York._

Harry starts strumming again, nodding his head a bit to the music. Their eyes meet once more and Louis smiles, shooting Harry a thumbs up and trying to convey just how much he loves this. Harry has an odd sort of look on his face, but still smiles back.

_Tell me something_

_Tell me something_

_You don't know nothing_

_Just pretend you do_

Louis loves it, which surprises him a bit. He's loved everything Harry has played today, songs which wouldn't normally be Louis’ style.

“He's really good,” Liam says.

Zayn nods, leaning his head on Liam's shoulder while they listen. Harry's amazing, Louis thinks. His voice is so clear and beautiful, and his lyrics are just as beautiful to match. Louis absolutely loves it.

“I love him,” Niall says with a smile. “Do you think he'd collab with me?”

Louis shrugs. “Ask him, I think he might.”

That's an understatement. If Harry reacts even close to how he had the night before when he heard Niall had seen his videos, it'll be a definite yes.

The song finishes and Harry yells a thank you over the crowd screaming for more before disappearing to the back of the stage. Louis watches him go before elbowing Niall in the side.

“Let’s go find him,” he says.

Louis stands up and heads towards the back of the stage, figuring that if he looks confident enough no one will question him. Turns out he was right, because he manages to get all four of them right back to where Harry is standing with his sister.

“Harry!” Louis shouts.

Harry whips his head up and grins when he spots them. “Hey Louis,” he says. “Did you like it?”

Before Louis can even think of a reply, Liam and Niall are talking over him, telling Harry just how much they loved the set. When Niall asks if Harry would be interesting in collabing on something with him, Harry's eyes light up.

“Really?” he asks.

Niall nods. “Yeah mate, it'd be sick. We should do it today, are you busy?”

Harry shakes his head quickly. “No, I'm not busy,” he rushes out. “I have nothing going on-I mean, I'm going to Universal tonight, but besides that.”

“Great,” Niall says. “Is now okay?”

Harry looks stunned. “Now?” he repeats. “Like, right now?”

“It's okay curly,” Louis says. “It's my room too, I'll be there to watch it all go down.”

That doesn't seem to make Harry feel any better, but he still agrees. Gemma declines Niall's invitation to come along with a laugh, and Liam and Zayn bid them all goodbye, which leaves Louis following Niall and Harry up to their hotel room. Once inside, Louis collapses onto his bed and watches the two of them.

Niall sets his camera up at the side of Louis’ bed so they'll be sitting in front of the balcony. Louis lays on his stomach behind it, watching the two of them situate themselves so they're both in frame.

Harry has brought his guitar up and they've decided to do a cover of a James Arthur song they both know. They take a few minutes to practice, their voices sounding just right together. Louis smiles and starts singing along without really realizing it, flipping around onto his back and staring at the ceiling.

“You should sing with us,” Harry says, stopping in the middle of the chorus. “You're really good, Lou.”

Louis rolls his eyes but doesn't get to reply before Niall does.

“I tell him that all the time,” he says. “He never believes me, though.”

“You're both flatters,” Louis says. “Besides, Ni, you wouldn't want the competition.”

Niall laughs but doesn't dispute it. Louis rolls his eyes and lets the two of them get back to practicing.

While he waits, he scrolls trough his twitter, liking pictures Zayn and Liam are posting from Disney World. He isn't surprised to find he has a few more followers than normal. After Harry tagged him in those pictures last night and people started recognizing him not only as Niall's flatmate, but the mysterious Louis from Harry's video, his mentions skyrocketed. People are trying to figure out what exactly is going on, like something scandalous is happening at the convention. Louis just ignores it.

“Okay, you ready?” Niall asks Harry.

Louis takes this as his cue to roll back over and watch. Niall leans forward to turn his camera on and start recording.

“Hey what's up guys,” he yells, waving his hand a bit. “It's Niall and I'm back with another cover, but today I have a very special guest. The one, the only, Harry Edward.”

Harry smiles and waves. “Hi,” he says.

Louis makes a face at both of them behind the camera and Harry starts giggling. Niall rolls his eyes and shakes his head for the audience.

“Louis is here as well,” he says to the camera. “Being a shit.”

“Excuse you,” Louis laughs.

Harry grins and ducks his head for a moment, obviously trying to get himself back under control.

“Right, so,” Niall starts. “We're going to sing a little something together.”

“Yeah, one of my favorites,” Harry says. “It's _Can I Be Him_ by James Arthur.”

Niall beams and shoots a thumbs up to the camera. Harry nods and starts playing.

Before Louis realizes what's happening, he's being serenaded by Harry. They're making eye contact and Harry is slightly smiling when he starts singing.

_You walked into the room and now my hearts been stolen_

_You took me back in time to when I was unbroken_

Louis watches the two of them, trying to stay as quiet as possible, and dutifully ignoring the way his heart is rabbiting in his chest. Niall and Harry sing the chorus together and then Niall takes the next verse, the two of them trading off and singing the hook together. Harry keeps catching Louis’ eye and grinning, even though Louis thinks it's meant to be a sad song.

 _Can I be the one?_ Harry croons, looking right into Louis’ eyes. _Can I be him?_

Louis lets out a breath as quietly as he can and looks down at his hands, breaking their eye contact. This is insane, he thinks. His heart is beating too fast and he cannot stop watching the way Harry's fingers play so deftly over his guitar. He cannot stop staring into Harry's pretty green eyes and getting lost in them.

When they finish, Louis cheers and claps for both of them. Niall laughs and Harry smiles like he's a bit embarrassed.

“Bravo,” Louis shouts, just because he thinks he likes that embarrassed smile. “Encore!”

“Jesus, Lou,” Niall laughs. “I guess that means we did okay.”

Harry laughs as well, seeming far less nervous than he had been before they started. “I mean, as long as Louis likes it, that’s all that really matters.”

Louis barks out a laugh and Niall rolls his eyes at the two of them.

“Anyway,” he says, eying each of them. “That’s it for us today guys. Make sure to go check out Harry’s channel, all of his links are in the description, and I’ll see you next time.”

With that, Niall reaches out to turn the microphone off and then his camera. Harry lets out a loud breath.

“That was nerve wracking,” he mutters. “That might’ve been worse than the show.”

“You both sounded great,” Louis says. “When are you putting it up, Ni?”

Niall hums and shrugs. “I’m going to edit it tonight. I’m not supposed to post a video until Monday, but I’ll probably put it up before we fly out tomorrow as like a bonus. That okay with you Harry?”

“Yeah, of course, anything is fine with me,” Harry says quickly. “I can’t even believe this is happening, really.”

Louis smiles and sits up, watching Harry stand and start putting away his guitar. “Face it Harold, you’re proper famous now.”

Harry blushes. “Stop,” he says. “I’m really not.”

“You will be,” Louis says. “Trust me, I called it with Niall, I’m calling it with you.”

“Cut out the flirting for ten seconds, you two,” Niall says. “Harry, you’re going to Universal tonight, right?”

Harry looks a bit distracted by what Niall’s just said about them, but nods. “Yeah, I mean, I think everyone is.”

“It’ll be great,” Louis agrees. “We’ll both see you there then.”

Harry bites his lip, looking from Niall to Louis like he’s thinking something over. Finally, he nods and swings his guitar case over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he says, eyes lingering on Louis for a moment. “Well, I’d better be going. Gemma and I are meant to get lunch together before we go see a few more people. But I’ll see you both tonight.”

Though it’s a bit unusual, Louis feels strange watching Harry leave. He wants to run after the boy as he says goodbye to the two of them with a smile, letting the hotel door shut behind himself. Niall sighs at the look on Louis’ face and shakes his head.

“Come on,” he says. “No more moping about Harry, we’re going swimming.”

Louis pouts. “But what if I want to mope?”

“No,” Niall shouts. “Absolutely not, let’s go Louis.”

And Louis supposes Niall is right. Nothing good can come from sitting here, thinking about a boy like Harry. Louis needs to completely push Harry out of his mind and focus on more important things, like finding his soulmate.

 

* * *

 

Somehow, Louis finds himself alone with Harry at Universal Studios.

Well, not alone completely of course. The park has been bought out for the convention, so youtubers and their cameras are absolutely everywhere. Harry has a camera as well, but he’s nowhere near as obnoxious. He’s just taking pictures like any normal person would, and he even manages to get one of Louis standing beside a minion making a face. Louis hates minions.

It wasn’t Louis’ idea to go out on their own, it just sort of happened. Niall, Liam, and Zayn had decided to go find some of the faster roller coasters, and Gemma managed to make friends that she disappears with as soon as they walk into the park.

“Would it be awful if we just spent the entire time in the Harry Potter world?” Harry asks.

Louis smiles and wraps an arm around Harry’s waist, deftly leading him through the crowds.

“I think it would be awful if we didn’t,” he says, and he decides he can be okay with this. It’s the last time he’ll even see Harry this weekend, they should be allowed to have some fun together. Niall can shove it.

They walk together until they find Hogwarts looming in the distance. Just as they had the night before, Harry’s eyes light up and he looks ecstatic.

“What house are you in?” he asks.

Louis shrugs, tilting his head up to look at the castle. “No clue,” he admits.

“Louis!” Harry gasps, pulling himself out of Louis’ arms. He looks genuinely offended, like Louis not knowing this is a travesty. “How can you not know?”

Louis laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t know love, I just never really got into it. The films were okay though, especially the last few-what are you doing?”

Harry is furiously typing something on his phone, eyebrows furrowing as he scrolls through something before handing it over. “We can’t go in there without you knowing,” he says. “Take this.”

Louis looks down and laughs when he sees it’s a quiz. “This is dumb,” he says, clicking through the first couple of answers.

“It’s important,” Harry says, and so Louis continues.

The two of them wait by the gates of the park, Louis carefully debating on each option just to make Harry happy. Once he gets to the very end, they both stare down at the screen together, watching the words _You Are A Slytherin_ appear.

Louis frowns. “Isn’t that the bad one?” he asks.

Harry takes his phone back and shakes his head. “No, that’s just a stigma.”

“Is there wizard stigma?” Louis laughs.

Harry sighs. “Not all Slytherins are bad, Louis. It means you’re smart and cunning, I think it’s perfect for you.”

“What are you then?” Louis asks.

“I’m a Ravenclaw,” Harry says, sounding quite proud of it.

It sounds familiar, though if Louis is being honest, he hardly paid attention to the films. His younger sisters loved them, but he never understood it. “Isn’t that the one with the blonde girl?” he asks. “The one with the squeaky voice and the glasses? Because I could see it.”

“Luna?” Harry asks, bursting into laughter at Louis’ description. “Yes, and I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“Well you should, she’s quite literally one of the only characters I remember,” Louis teases. “Now can we go in?”

Harry nods. “Let’s go.”

As they walk in, Louis decides that it is a bit spectacular, especially at night. Harry insists they get a butterbeer together before they go on any of the rides, something Louis thinks he’ll live to regret, but he can’t say no to the other boy’s pout.

Louis confiscates Harry’s camera in order to capture the exact moment Harry takes his first sip. After that, though, Louis refuses to let go. He wants to document every little thing Harry does, from staring in awe at a fire breathing dragon looming above their heads, to picking out a wand. It’s obvious that Harry is a bit awkward in front of the camera, but Louis won’t let him have it back.

They ride all of the rides together, Louis screaming as loud as he can just to be obnoxious and make Harry laugh. After Louis has not puked and has been subjected to multiple references he doesn’t understand, they sit together to find food and talk about everything under the sun.

It’s a bit like a date, Louis realizes halfway through a game of twenty questions. Actually, Louis is almost entirely sure this is a date. They’re talking, and eating, and laughing, and Harry keeps letting Louis wrap an arm around his waist while they walk.

But Louis has a soulmate, and he needs to remember that, and Harry does as well. Hell, who’s to say Harry hasn’t met his soulmate already, or that he even likes boys?

Their date that isn’t a date is interrupted by a group of three girls who ask for a picture with Harry quickly. He looks shocked for a moment, as if they’ve mistaken him for someone else, but agrees to smile for their camera before run off in laughter.

“I told you,” Louis says. “You’re famous.”

Harry snorts and shakes his head. “I’m not, trust me. It’s just in places like this, in real life no one knows me.”

“I know you,” Louis replies, quite proud of that fact.

Harry smiles at him, eyes soft, and nods. “Yeah, you do,” he sighs. “Come on, I want to ride the Gringotts one again.”

Louis groans, because that is certainly his least favorite, and he actually sort of hates roller coasters-but he can’t say no to Harry’s pleading eyes and pout. It could get him into trouble, that pout. They’ve only known each other a few days now, but Louis is certain he’d do just about anything if Harry asked.

Though he isn’t sure why, Louis feels as though all that of his boundaries are broken with Harry. Usually, it takes him a few weeks at least to test out a potential friend, to decide whether or not their worth his time, and yet here he is, resting his chin on Harry’s shoulder while they queue up for a ride.

Really, what has his life become?

The park is getting ready to close, which means Louis soon finds himself following Harry out with his new bag of things he doesn’t need. While they walk, Harry keeps shooting Louis these little glances. Every time Louis turns to look back at him though, Harry quickly looks away as if he wasn’t staring.

They meet up with the rest of their group and get a ride back to their hotel for the last night. Even in the car, Harry is still looking at him funny. Louis raises his eyebrow at one point and Harry looks embarrassed for being caught. He quickly pretends to be very concerned with his camera.

“Lou,” Harry says when the car drops them off. “Can I talk to you?”

Louis nods and tells the other boys he’ll meet up with them afterward. Harry seems pleased with this and leads him back to the pool where they had been Friday night. It’s deserted now except for them, and Louis can’t believe only two days he didn’t know this boy at all.

They sit down on a chair together, Harry sitting with his leg pressed to Louis’. He gently sets down his bags on the ground and the two of them go silent, each staring off to the pool.

“Your mark is interesting,” Harry says.

Louis smile and looks down at his wrist. He runs his fingers over the rope, tracing it and remembering that someone out there is waiting for him.

“Yeah?” he murmurs. “It’s a bit big for a mark, but I’ve heard that’s a good thing. If you believe in all of that mystical shit, apparently a bigger mark means your relationship is more solid or whatever.”

Again, something Zayn and Liam had claimed was true. Louis just thinks they say that though because they each have a mark that takes over most of their shoulder.

“So, you believe in all of that?” Harry asks. “Soulmates, I mean.”

Louis frowns. “Of course I do,” he says. “I’ve waited my whole life to find the man I’m going to spend the rest of it with. I mean, seeing what Zayn and Liam have, or what my flatmates have-I want that. I want that love and that steadiness, you know?”

“Yeah,” Harry sighs. “I just…I don’t know if I believe it, you know? Not that there aren’t soulmates, of course, but that it’s always right. What if fate gets it wrong?”

Honestly, Louis had never really considered that.

“I don’t think fate gets it wrong usually,” he says. “That’s not to say it’s entirely right all of the time, I mean sometimes there are situations where it just doesn’t work out, but I think fate has a pretty good handle on things most of the time.”

Harry looks conflicted. He runs a hand through his curls, eyebrows furrowed in thought. He then drops his hands back into his lap and starts tugging on the sleeve of his red flannel, a nervous habit Louis thinks.

“I get worried sometimes,” he says, quietly, like this is a secret he hasn’t told others. “After watching my mum and dad. They were soulmates, and it didn’t work out, and I’ve had to spend my entire life watching my mum go through all of this alone. She says that she’s always going to love him, and she believes in soulmates still, but I don’t know if I can. I’m worried that it could happen to me too.”

That’s heartbreaking to think about. Louis can’t imagine not being with his soulmate once he’s met them, once they’ve married and had children together. He can’t imagine how terribly lonely that must feel, watching the rest of the world so happy and knowing you couldn’t work it out.

“That’s a one in a million chance, babe,” Louis says to Harry, reaching out to rub the other boy’s back in small circles. “And I very much doubt anyone lucky enough to be your soulmate would let you get away.”

Harry smiles at that, looking grateful for Louis’ words. “I hope so,” he sighs.

They sit for a moment in silence, Louis not taking his hand off of Harry’s back, Harry not asking him to. The pool water ripples under the wind, the lights pink shifting to purple tonight. Louis has a flight tomorrow, and he doesn’t want to get on it. He wants to sit here with Harry until the sun rises and ignore the rest of the world.

“Harry,” Louis says, before he loses his nerve. “I’m really glad I met you this weekend. I haven’t made such a good friend in so long, you know? When you move to London I’m going to be over all the time, you’ll be sick of me.”

Harry giggles and shakes his head. “I couldn’t be sick of you,” he says.

“You say that now,” Louis laughs. “Just wait until I’m knocking your door down every Saturday night.”

Harry just smiles and leans over to rest his head on Louis’ shoulder. Louis wraps an arm around Harry’s shoulder and squeezes.

“Don’t worry so much,” Louis whispers to him. “Anyone would be lucky to have you for a soulmate, I mean, you’re basically perfect.”

“I’m not perfect.”

“You’re cute,” Louis says. “You can sing, play guitar, you’re going to be an art student, you’ve got those curls, you love Disney _and_ Harry Potter. You’re any girls dream, babe.”

There’s a pause, and then Harry is whispering, “I don’t think my soulmate’s a girl.”

“Well, then you’re any boy’s dream as well,” Louis quickly recovers. “You’ll find them love, and it’ll be even more wonderful than you could ever imagine.”

“You will too,” Harry says. “You’re wonderful, Lou.”

“Well thank you,” Louis says, reaching up to gently run his fingers through Harry’s curls. “I’m sad we’re all leaving tomorrow, honestly. I didn’t even want to come, Niall had to force me. He says I work too much, that I needed a holiday, and now I’m not sure I want to leave.”

Harry looks over to where Louis’ arm has dropped back to his shoulder. He reaches out hesitantly, and suddenly he’s gently tracing the infinity on Louis’ wrist. A shock shoots up Louis’ spine, Harry’s fingertips leaving sparks behind them. Louis gets goosebumps, and he doesn’t realize he isn’t breathing until Harry pulls his fingers away and the sensation stops.

“Do you remember when you got it?” Harry asks.

Louis nods, still breathless from the strange feeling he got once Harry touched him. “Of course I do,” he says. “February first, right at midnight. Liam had a fight with Zayn and was crashing on my futon for the night, scared the shit out of him.”

Harry bites down on his bottom lip hard and nods, tearing his eyes away from Louis’ exposed wrist. He’s tugging at his sleeves once more, and he has that same conflicted look he was wearing in the car. He looks at Louis, searching for something in the older man’s eyes, before he stands up.

“I should get upstairs,” he says. “Gemma’s waiting for me, we have an early flight.”

Louis nods, though he hates the thought of this being the last time they see one another.

“Okay,” he says. “But I’ll see you soon, yeah? You’ll be moving into student housing in the fall.”

“Yeah,” Harry breathes. He then holds his arms out and Louis stands up to hug him. They hold each other for far longer than they should, mostly because Louis doesn’t want to let him go. He buries his face against Harry’s neck, breathing him in one last time.

Harry kisses Louis’ cheek before pulling back to look at him. “Thank you,” he says softly. “For everything.”

Louis frowns. “I haven’t done anything, love.”

Harry shakes his head and Louis is shocked when he notices how glassy Harry’s eyes are. Almost like he’s crying, or he’s about to at least.

“You have no idea,” Harry says. “What this weekend with you has meant to me.”

Louis smiles. “We’ll see each other soon,” he promises, hoping to chase those tears away. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Styles.”

Harry laughs. “I really can’t,” he says. “Bye, Louis.”

With that, Harry gathers his things and walks away. Louis can only stand and watch Harry go, feeling as though he’s forgetting something terribly important, but he can’t put a finger on what.

 

* * *

 

The next morning Harry is half asleep and bleary eyed, waiting in the terminal for his flight while scrolling aimlessly on his phone. He’s watching a hamster eat tiny food, and absolutely loving it, when he gets a notification that Niall has posted a video

_CAN I BE HIM (COVER) NIALL HORAN + HARRY EDWARD_

Harry hesitates for a moment before clicking it, letting the music he was listening to fade away in favor of Niall’s short intro. It’s a bit awkward, watching himself on camera, but Harry powers through it. Niall introduces the two of them to the camera, and then Harry sees himself start giggling at Louis in the background.

 _Louis is here as well,_ Niall says, to explain Harry’s laughter. _Being a shit._

 _Excuse you,_ Louis laughs from behind the camera.

But Harry can’t focus on that, all he can see is his own face, how overwhelmingly smitten he looks. His focus should be on Niall, or his guitar, or the camera. Instead, Harry spends the entire video smiling at Louis.

What’s worse is that apparently everyone else notices this as well. While most of the comments are about how great Niall and Harry sound together, a considerable amount of them say things like, _Harry can NOT take his eyes off of Louis!!! So cute_

_Louis and Harry are soooo sweet together I'm so happy for Harry xx_

_Harry_ _’s staring at Niall’s flatmate the entire time…_

_ok if harrys gay im literally going to diiee_

Harry groans and closes out of the video. He definitely doesn’t need to be looking at that right now, not after last night. Not after he confirmed the fact that Louis really is his soulmate, and that he needs to do something about that but he isn’t sure what.

“You alright?” Gemma asks, nudging him with her elbow. She’s sitting in the seat beside him, looking just as exhausted after last night. “You’ve been acting weird since you got back last night.”

Of course he has, Harry thinks to himself, because last night he realized he’d found his soulmate in the most unlikely place and couldn’t even muster up the strength to tell him.

“I met my soulmate,” Harry blurts out, because he needs to tell _someone_.

Gemma looks stunned. Her eyes go wide and she stares at Harry, the airport around them still bustling, but the two of them completely still and silent.

“When?” she demands. “Where at-what the hell, Harry, why didn’t you tell me?”

Harry shrugs, looking down at his hands and thinking about Louis last night. Thinking about how it felt when he touched Louis’ mark, how his own almost burned, craving a touch back. How beautiful Louis looked under the stars, how blue his eyes are when he’s tired.

“They aren’t what I expected,” Harry says, and he could not possibly explain it better than that. Louis is nothing like what Harry expected-he’s better.

“How so?” Gemma asks.

Harry laughs. “They’re better than anything I ever could’ve dreamed up.”

Gemma sighs and looks down at the mark on her finger. “I’m jealous,” she says, and Harry knows she means it to be a joke, but he also thinks she’s serious.

“It’s just strange, I guess,” Harry sighs. “That that’s the person I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, or that I’m supposed to at least. It’s a weird feeling.”

Gemma smiles at him. “What did she say when you told her?”

“I didn’t tell them,” he says. “I tried, but I couldn’t.”

Gemma shakes her head, subconsciously rubbing at her own mark. “I will never understand you.”

Gemma has had her mark for a year now, a little outlined bird on the inside of her index finger that appeared one morning at breakfast. She’s tried absolutely everything to find her soulmate, she’s just as into it as Louis seemed to be last night when he told Harry about finding the one. Harry wonders if Gemma will ever be able to find her soulmate who is at least nine hours ahead of her. Harry knows she worries, and yet here he is not telling his own soulmate that they’ve found each other.

“I just need to talk to Mum,” Harry says, because he does. As soon as he gets home, that’s right where he’s going. He hopes that she’ll be able to talk some sense into him, that she’ll accept the fact that his soulmate is a man.

Harry sighs and looks down at his wrist. Now that he’s found his soulmate, he feels no need to hide his mark. It stands out stark against his skin, an anchor for Louis’ rope. He really hopes fate has gotten this one right.

 

* * *

 

Louis gets home late Monday afternoon, sleeps for hours, and goes right back to class on Tuesday morning like his whirlwind of a weekend never happened. Like his entire life doesn’t feel completely different now that he’s met Harry Styles.

They haven’t spoken since before Louis fell asleep Monday night, when they had texted one another saying how happy they were to meet. Louis now sits in the library at his uni, trying to avoid his flat where Niall has gone right back to his antics. As far as Louis could make out from Perrie screaming over the phone, it seems Niall has tried to prank her. Louis needs to avoid all of that and focus on the paper he neglected all weekend.

He’s just about to pack up his things and head for his next class when he gets a phone call. Though he’ll never admit it, Louis lets out a quiet gasp when he sees Harry’s name show up. He answers without thinking, ignoring the girl who glares at him from a few desks down when he says, “Hello?”

“Hey, Louis,” Harry says, and he sounds nervous. “Is it, um, I’m sorry. It’s okay that I’m calling you, isn’t it?”

Louis nods before he remembers Harry can’t see him. “No, love, of course it’s okay. I do have class in about ten minutes though.”

“That’s okay, I just needed to ask you something.”

Harry goes silent and Louis waits for him to continue while he gathers all of his things. By the time he’s packed his bag and walked away from the glaring girl, Harry is sighing again.

“So um,” he says. “I think I found my soulmate.”

Louis stutters in his movements, and as a result ends up almost slamming into the library door. He quickly recovers, pushing his way through and praying no one saw that awful display.

“Yeah?” Louis asks, clearing his throat and hoping he doesn’t sound too odd. “That’s amazing Harry. I’m so happy for you, love.”

Harry laughs softly and Louis can practically see his dimple poking in in his mind. “I’m happy too,” Harry says. “The only thing is, I haven’t exactly told him yet.” He lives in London, though, and I thought maybe I could come and see you while I’m there.”

“Yes,” Louis answers instantly, before realizing he sounds far too eager. “I mean, if you wanted. I have a futon in my room, you’re welcome to stay there if you want. I can show you around London, pep talk you before you got meet this soulmate guy.”

“Yeah?” Harry asks, and Louis can hear his smile. “If you’re sure, Lou. I don’t want to intrude.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Trust me love, you aren’t intruding. I have literally nothing going on here besides course work and actual work, but I have this weekend off anyway. It’ll be a nice glimpse into your future, course work and slaving away waiting tables.”

“Are you sure your flatmates won’t mind?” Harry asks.

“Of course not love, Niall loves you already, and Perrie and Jesy want to meet you,” Louis says.

“Okay,” Harry says. “Thank you, Lou, really. I’ll text you when I buy a ticket, I’ll probably come in Friday night if that’s okay.”

Louis beams, ignoring the looks he’s getting as he walks to his next class. His heart is beating quickly and his chest feels warm at the thought of seeing Harry once more.

“Just let me know, love,” he says. “I have to go, but I’ll see you this weekend, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Harry agrees, and he sounds just as excited. “I’ll be there soon, Lou.”

 

* * *

 

Anne is close to tears while she watches from the doorway as Harry packs his bag.

“Mum,” Harry whines. “Please don’t cry.”

Anne waves her hand. “Ignore me,” she sniffles. “I’m just so happy for you, darling, that’s all. I can’t wait to meet him.”

“He might not even want me,” Harry reminds her. That’s the point of this weekend, really.

Anne sighs. “Harry, we really need to talk about this.”

“We don’t,” Harry says, biting his thumb as he looks for his favorite hoodie to wear on the train.”

“Yes, we do,” he mother replies, sounding stern.

Harry groans and zips his duffel up. He’s been avoiding this exact conversation with his mother since he told her about Louis on Monday. She had reacted how Harry had hoped she would, absolutely ecstatic that her son had found his soulmate. She hadn’t even blinked when Harry told her his soulmate is a boy.

“That doesn’t matter,” she’d said to him. “I am just as excited as I’ve always been, and you should be too, darling. This is a big moment for both of you.”

Now she stands in front of him looking sad, and Harry can’t take that right now. He’s already upset enough without having to hear the speech his mum is surely about to give him.

“Harry,” she starts. “What happened between your father and I was hard, I’m not going to stand here and lie to you. It wasn’t easy leaving the person I’m supposed to be with, but there were other things pulling us apart, and it was a mutual decision. We’re better off without one another, but that isn’t usually how it goes darling, you know that.”

Harry sighs and drops his head, running his hands through his hair. “I know that,” he murmurs. “I know, Mum, but it doesn’t stop me from being scared. Especially when you consider the fact that I found out I’m bisexual a whopping eight days ago.”

“Baby,” Anne laughs a bit, obviously trying to hold it in. “You can work all of that out, I know you will. He’s your soulmate, he’s going to love you no matter what. You told me how well you both got on already.”

Harry nods and stands once more. “Okay,” he says. “I’m going to try not to be scared, or chicken out, I promise.”

“Good,” Anne says with a big smile. “Now let’s go, you don’t want to miss your train darling.”

Harry nods and grabs his bag before following his mum out to the car. She spends the entire drive to the train station asking all sorts of questions about Louis. Where is he from, what does he do, what he’s in uni for, how many siblings he has-and Harry is pleasantly surprised to find he knows all of the answers. Anne seems satisfied with Harry’s answers and Harry wonders if Louis is going to want to meet his mum eventually. He wonders if Louis even wants him.

The train ride to London is spent mostly trying not to stalk Louis on every possible platform he can find. Harry scrolls through Louis’ twitter that he barely uses, and Louis’ instagram, scrutinizing every photo. Eventually, Harry finds himself on the very last photo, which is of Louis and Liam the day before they moved into uni.

Harry sighs and decides to post a picture of the countryside passing outside the train window, the sky painted a pretty pink color as the sun is setting. He tags Louis in it and captions it, _im on my way_

To his surprise, Louis comments immediately. _singing to tiny dancer I hope xx_

Harry bites down on a smile and comments back, _always xx_

Of course he isn’t going to lie to himself, he is a bit worried about seeing Louis again. He’s worried the spark that they had over the weekend will have disappeared, that they’ll have nothing to talk about, or that Louis will reject him once he learns why Harry’s really there.

Most of those worries are swept away the moment he sees Louis waiting for him, looking over the crowds of people flooding the station. They lock eyes and Louis grins, immediately waving his arms as if Harry hasn’t already seen him.

Harry grins and makes a beeline for him, weaving in and out of the crowd until he can walk right into Louis’ arms. It feels so right, letting his head fall to rest on Louis’ shoulder, closing his eyes and breathing in Louis’ soap and cologne.

“Haven’t seen you in ages, Harry,” Louis teases him, the laugh he lets out against Harry’s ear stirring his hair.

Behind them, Harry spots a woman smiling at them knowingly. He wonders if everyone else can see what they are, if it is that obvious. Harry pulls back and watches as Louis’ rain jacket rides up his wrist, his mark still there and still perfect.

“It’s been too long,” Harry says, and he means it. It’s awful being apart from Louis now that Harry knows he’s his soulmate. It feels like something is missing.

“C’mon love,” Louis says, reaching over to Harry’s backpack. He takes it off of Harry’s shoulders and puts it on his own before wrapping an arm around Harry’s waist. “I’m your personal tour guide for the weekend, and our first magical stop is the tube.”

Harry smiles and follows Louis, leaning into his side and following him out of the station. Louis talks about all of the things they should do in London this weekend, while Harry nods and smiles in all the right places. He is far more focused on looking at Louis, though, taking in every little detail from his eyelashes to his smile. How Harry ever doubted that this boy could be his soulmate, he isn’t sure. Seeing Louis again has just cemented in Harry’s mind how wonderful he is.

“You alright love?” Louis asks.

Harry blinks and tears his eyes away, realizing that he’s been staring for far too long at those perfect blue eyes. “Yeah, sorry,” he says. “I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“Poor Harry,” Louis coos, reaching up to ruffle Harry’s curls before settling his arm right back around Harry’s waist. “You can go to bed when we get back if you want. My flatmates and I have family dinner tonight, but we aren’t usually too loud unless Niall does something stupid.”

Harry laughs. “Family dinner?” he asks.

“Yeah, we’re all really busy,” Louis explains. “And Friday nights are usually the only time we can get together all at once. We talk about our weeks and all that, tell Niall he needs to wash a dish if he uses it even though he never listens, stuff like that.”

“That sounds nice,” Harry says, reaching over to play with Louis’ fingers on his waist. “I’ll stay up for that.”

Louis smiles and nods. “Good then,” he decides. “Come on love, follow me, I won’t let you get lost.”

 

* * *

 

As usual, Louis walks into his flat to find something ridiculous is going on.

Jesy is sitting on their couch with a bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table in front of her, half empty. She gives Louis a look as soon as he’s through the door and rolls her eyes.

“Niall,” she starts. “Has decided he’s going to make a cooking show.”

Louis groans and for a moment considers just bailing out and taking Harry somewhere far less chaotic. The boy had said he was tired though, and Louis doesn’t want to drag him all over London tomorrow exhausted. Also, as soon as Jesy spots Harry, Louis knows there’s no way either of them are leaving.

“Oh my god,” Jesy squeals when Harry steps inside behind Louis. “You must be Harry, Louis hasn’t stopped talking about you since he got back. Perrie, Harry is here!”

There’s a loud gasp from the kitchen and Perrie runs in, the kitchen door swinging behind her. She stops beside the couch, looking at Harry who seems just as confused as he should be right now.

“Oh, you’re just as cute as Louis said!” Perrie says.

Louis’ eyes go wide. “Pez,” he hisses.

“But he is,” she continues, and Louis officially hats her. “Of course I knew that already, though, Jesy showed me your channel. You’re amazing.”

Harry smiles proudly. Louis loves seeing how confident he’s becoming when he’s told these things, how he’s changed from staring wide eyed at anyone who suggests he might be a good singer.

“Thank you,” he says. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Well come in both of you,” Jesy says, waving the boys over towards her. “Have some wine, Harry, Niall’s going to be in there a bit longer.”

Perrie snorts. “That’s an understatement,” she says. “But don’t worry, I’ve saved the day and ordered us a curry. I have no idea what Niall thinks he’s doing in there, but it looks like a pot of sludge.”

Louis leads Harry over to the couch opposite Perrie and Jesy and pours each of them a glass of Jesy’s wine. Harry takes his with a smile and soft thank you, but seems more interested in hearing about Niall’s cooking disaster. Even now, Louis can hear Niall knocking about in their kitchen, cursing to himself and talking to his camera.

“Since when has he decided to do a cooking show?” Louis asks. “Just this morning he told me he was going to craft.”

Jesy rolls her eyes. “Apparently, it was all Liam’s idea,” she says. “It’s a competition between the two of them to see who the better chef is, even though it’s obvious neither of them know how to do much more than microwave a frozen dinner.”

“Our lives have been a living hell this week,” Perrie says to Harry to catch him up. “Niall’s decided to do this one video every day thing, our flat has been a wreck. He’s going to fail out of uni if he keeps going this way. I hope you’re not planning on doing that too.”

“No,” Harry laughs. “I’m not really that sort of youtuber, I just like to cover songs and write my own. I’m going to school for film, though, so it’s nice practice.”

Jesy grins. “Like that video you did with Louis in it! That was so cool, you have Lou looking like a proper model or something.”

That’s a bit offensive, Louis thinks. “Are you trying to say I don’t always look like a model?” he asks.

Harry smiles and leans in closer to Louis’ side. They’re pressed together now, Harry settling so he’s resting his head on Louis’ shoulder while he swirls his wine around in his glass absentmindedly.

“I think he always looks great,” he says, gesturing to Louis. “And he’s a very interesting subject to film.”

Louis beams. “Take that, good one Harold,” he says, reaching out for a high five that Harry gladly reciprocates.

There is suddenly a loud commotion in the kitchen, what sounds like something falling, and Niall yelling “Shit!” at the top of his lungs.

“I’m moving out,” Jesy announces. “I’m gone tomorrow, packing my things.”

Perrie sighs and runs her hand over Jesy’s hair before settling it against the back of her neck. “You always say that,” she replies knowingly. “But you and I both know you aren’t actually going anywhere.”

Jesy rolls her eyes, but relents. “I at least like to pretend, though.”

The four make small talk until their doorbell rings with takeaway, all of them ignoring the persistent noises coming from Niall in the kitchen. As long as nothing is on fire and he cleans it all up, Louis really doesn’t care what he does. Obviously smelling the food once it arrives, Niall comes running into the living room, looking betrayed.

“You ordered food?” he asks, eyes wide and faking sadness. “But what about the dinner I slaved away over for you?”

Louis shakes his head, taking in Niall who is an absolute mess. If that’s any indication on how their kitchen looks right now, they’re all fucked.

“Wash the flour off your face and come eat, idiot,” Louis says.

Niall shakes his head, putting his hands on his hips in an attempt to look upset. “Harry, I am so sorry that this is the impression you’re getting of us,” he says, having to yell to be heard over Jesy and Perrie yelling at him to go wash up.

“Niall,” Louis snaps, finally getting his attention once more. “I’m going to eat your food, I swear I will. Clean the kitchen or you’ll be eating the dinner you made.”

Niall’s eyes go wide and he disappears into the kitchen without another word. Harry smiles and tries to hide his laughter behind a forkful of rice.

“He's a bit insane, isn't he?” he asks.

Louis laughs and nods. “He is,” he agrees. “But we tolerate him.”

Harry yawns and Louis frowns before leaning over to wrap his arm around Harry's shoulders. He presses his nose to Harry’s curls for a moment, silently asking whether or not the boy is too tired to stay up. Harry hums and Louis takes that as an, _I_ _’m okay_ , wondering when exactly he became this attuned to Harry’s emotions.

“So Louis,” Perrie says. “How was your date?”

Harry goes rigid under Louis’ arm and his eyes go a bit wide. He reaches out for his wine, taking a huge sip of it before asking, “What?”

Perrie nods, and Louis really wishes she would shut up. “He got asked out by this guy at school, they went out for drinks last night and he's been avoiding telling me about it all day.”

Louis groans and shakes his head.  “It was nothing,” he says. “We're just friends. He knows I'm looking for my soulmate, he knows it's nothing serious.”

“I still think you should go for it,” Jesy says.

Louis laughs. “Well that's easy for you to say, you and Perrie have been together for years. I'm sure you just went for it as well.”

“Was he nice?” Harry asks, and he looks sad Louis realizes.

Louis nods. “He's nice, he's just a mate from school. His soulmate died when they were both really young, so he's a lot more open about dating around and stuff. Not that I haven't been, you know, dating, but still.”

“But he's so cute,” Perrie whines. “You should go out with him again. Who knows, maybe you're really meant to be with him. Who's to tell.”

Louis laughs and lifts his arm up, showing off his mark. “Think this might be to tell,” he teases.

“You should go on one of those match up dating sites,” Jesy says. “Like where you put your mark in and they try to match you up-”

“No,” Harry says quickly, shocking everyone else. Louis looks at him, confused, but Harry avoids his eyes. He clears his throat before continuing, “I just mean like, my sister has been on one of those for like a year and hasn't had any luck. Whoever her soulmate is nine hours ahead of us and hasn't joined a single site. I just think like, when it happens it happens you know? It'll happen when it's meant to.”

Louis smiles and nods. “See, Harry has it right,” he says. “A proper romantic like me.”

“Aww,” Jesy coos. “You're adorable, Harry.”

Harry smiles and shrugs before pretending to be very focused on the curry. Luckily, Niall soon returns from the kitchen and they're all caught up in his conversation about what exactly he was trying to make. Niall claims it was a stew, but Perrie maintains it was a toxic sludge. Harry eats up the conversation with a big smile, giggling through all of their bickering. After cleaning up after themselves, Perrie and Jesy leave to go to a birthday party and Niall heads to Liam's to work on a video.

“Are we boring old men already?” Louis asks once the flat is blissfully quiet. “Is this what I've become, staying in on a Friday night to sleep and watch a movie?”

Harry shakes his head. “You're not that old,” he reasons. “You're being responsible, if anything. You don't want to be hungover tomorrow.”

“You always know what to say,” Louis teases him. “Come on, I have Netflix in my room.”

Harry beams and follows Louis upstairs to his room. Though Louis had made an attempt to tidy up, he still has to pick up last night’s pajamas and throw them into his dirty laundry pile. Harry laughs at him a bit but says nothing when Louis shoots him a look.

“I’m a very busy man,” he says.

Harry smiles. “I’m sure you are, Lou.”

Louis takes Harry's bag and puts it next to the futon where he'll sleep. He then decides to turn on a movie, even though Harry is tired. He lays down on the futon and Louis lays on his bed, eyes glued to Harry instead of the screen.

“You're staring at me,” Harry says, after they’ve both gone too long not acknowledging that fact.

Louis smiles. “Sorry,” he says, though he doesn't stop staring. “How have you been love?”

Harry giggles and shrugs, drumming his fingers on the blanket. “I saw you last weekend,” he says. “But I'm fine.”

“You haven't told me how you met your soulmate,” Louis says. It's all he's been able to think about since Harry told him. He wants to meet this man, this person who apparently is soulmates with Harry. Though Louis really hardly knows Harry, he wants to make sure this soulmate is good enough for him.

Harry drops his eyes and shrugs. “We met at Playlist,” he says.

“Really?” Louis asks, trying to think of who exactly Harry could’ve met when they weren’t together that short weekend. “Oh god, he's a youtuber isn't he? Harry, stop giggling, tell me the truth. I bet he pranks people and makes slime videos.”

Harry is just about choking on laughter now. He shakes his head, trying to catch his breath. “No,” he giggles. “No, he isn't. He's really wonderful, Lou. I don't know him that well yet but I feel like I know him, you know?”

Louis smiles. “Yeah, I know,” he teases. “Are you surprising him, this supposed soulmate?”

“Yeah,” Harry sighs. “I mean, I think he's my soulmate. I'm just worried he won't want me back.”

Louis frowns. “Harry,” he scolds. “Who wouldn't want you? 

“I don't know,” he murmurs. “You know sometimes people don’t want their soulmates.”

“Maybe,” Louis concedes. “But not with you. I can't imagine your soulmate not wanting you, Harry.”

Harry smiles. “Thanks, Louis,” he murmurs.

“Don't worry about it, mate,” Louis says, flopping onto his back so he can't stare at Harry any longer. “Now hush, I'm trying to watch this movie.”

He doesn't miss Harry's giggles, even when the boy tries desperately to hide them.

 

* * *

 

Harry wakes up to the sun shining directly in his face from the window. He blinks for a moment, trying to get his bearings, until his eyes land on Louis’ sleeping form. He's shirtless, arm thrown above his head on the pillow. His mark is stark against his wrist and Harry wants so badly to kiss him, it hits him out of nowhere.

He's never kissed a boy before. He wonders how different it could be, really.

Louis sighs and stretches his arms a bit before rolling over and pressing his face into his pillow. Harry moves as well, trying to hide himself a bit so Louis doesn't know he's been staring. Unfortunately, the futon is terribly squeaky, and it makes an awful noise when rolls over. Harry is sure everyone in the building could have heard him tossing and turning the night before.

Louis groans and opens his eyes. Harry quickly closes his own, pretending to be asleep while Louis moves around. He hears feet drop to the floor and the floorboards squeak as Louis walks to the door and softly shuts it behind himself.

Harry opens his eyes and moves quickly to get dressed. He knows it's stupid, hiding his mark from Louis as long as he can, but it feels like something he has to do. He wants to get to know Louis before they're thrust together for the rest of their lives, as friends before anything else.

It's a bit too hot for long sleeves, but he puts on a light flannel anyway. Hopefully it won't seem ridiculous wearing it, he thinks as he pulls on a pair of skinny jeans. Harry opens the door to peek out into the hall, finding no one else around. When he gets downstairs, he hears singing coming from the kitchen.

The radio is on and Louis is standing in the middle of the kitchen, stove on in front of him and poking at pancakes with a spatula. He lifts his spatula up and uses it as a microphone, slipping around in his socks as he sings loudly with the radio.

_Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough_

Harry hides his laughter against his hand, trying to keep it in as Louis pulls his spatula away dramatically, holding each syllable out as long as he can.

“To keep me from getting to you,” Louis sings, spinning around only to let out a gasp and drop his spatula on the floor.

Harry pulls his hand away, letting out a laugh finally.

“Harold!” Louis scolds, picking his spatula up to rinse if off. “You gave me a heart attack. How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” Harry replies.

Louis shakes his head and turns back to his pancakes, flipping them over. “I hope it was a good show at least,” he says.

“Really good,” Harry laughs. “Are you making breakfast?”

Louis nods. “I’m not the best cook,” he says, poking at his pancakes. “But I try at least.”

Harry smiles and asks Louis where the tea and mugs are before putting the kettle on. Apparently, Niall has slept over at Liam's and Jesy and Perrie are hungover last night, so it's just the two of them. Louis finishes his pancakes which aren't half bad, really.

“I have to get up to my uni before we start our wonderful tour,” Louis says. “Is that okay?”

Harry is quick to nod. “Yeah, Lou, of course. You don't have to do this, really.”

“I want to,” Louis says. “It'll be fun, I haven't been a tourist in ages.”

Harry smiles back and nods. Louis excuses himself to run upstairs while Harry cleans the kitchen up. As soon as Louis returns, he scolds him, but Harry has already done the dishes so it's too late. He soon finds himself pulled away and out the door.

“Aren't you hot in those long sleeves?” Louis asks as they walk out of the flat. He has aviators on that sit just right on his face. Harry loves them.

He shrugs. “I’m not hot,” he lies. It is a bit hot, but it's a light flannel, so he doesn't think it should get too awful.

“Right,” Louis laughs, locking the door behind them. “Well let’s go then.”

They walk to Louis’ uni together, Louis talking a mile a minute about anything that pops into his mind. He talks quite a lot, but Harry likes it. Louis is the kind of person Harry would just like to sit around and admire. He could sit around forever and listen to Louis tell stories in that animated voice.

His uni isn't that far off and Harry sticks close by so he doesn't get lost in the maze of halls. They end up at an office where Louis knocks on the door and disappears inside for a moment to hand something off to a professor.

“What was that?” Harry asks once Louis reappears.

“Late paper,” Louis says. “I know, I'm an awful student. Don't be me, Harold.”

Harry shakes his head. “I couldn't do that,” he admits. “I think I'd go mad if I turned anything in late.”

“Of course you would,” Louis laughs. “You seem like the type to turn things in a week early just in case.”

Harry shrugs, because he has absolutely done that before. “Well isn't that better than turning it in late?”

“It was only a day late!” Louis says, still laughing. “God, you're every professor’s dream. Can't wait to hear all about your great grades in uni.”

Harry beams because that means Louis must be thinking long term. It means Louis likes him enough that he thinks they'll be friends in a few months and not just fade from each other's lives. Not that Harry would want to let that happen either.

They end up walking to the nearest tube stop that takes them further into London. Harry takes everything in with wide eyes and Louis laughs before squeezing his hand tightly.

“Well love,” he says. “Where to first?”

 

* * *

 

As promised, Louis throws himself into being a tourist with Harry wholeheartedly, despite the fact that he's been living in London for years now. He takes every picture Harry asks him to, and follows right behind him through every tourist trap the city has to offer. Harry has his camera along with him and Louis loves to just sit and watch the way he sees things, see the world through Harry’s eyes, even if it’s only for a moment.

They end up in a Starbucks, because Louis is tired and he can't resist. Harry picks a table and sits, going through his camera while Louis gets in line for their drinks. He's only turned his back for maybe five minutes, but when he turns around there's a very tall and tattooed man at Harry's table.

They're both smiling and the tall man is pointing to something on Harry's camera, letting his fingertips trace over Harry's own, before drifting across his wrist. Louis is suddenly incensed, jealous in a way he has never been before in his life. He feels a bit murderous, watching this handsome stranger touch Harry, watching them laugh together.

It doesn't make sense, he realizes. He shouldn't feel this way. He and Harry are just friends, nothing more. The entire reason Harry is even here is to meet his soulmate, not for Louis to imagine a future with and be jealous over it. He's acting ridiculous.

Still, that doesn't stop him from grabbing their drinks and sauntering over.

“Harry,” he laughs, setting the cups down on the table. “Have you made a friend?”

Harry smiles and nods. “This is Alec,” he explains, gesturing towards the tall man who has taken a small step back. “He's seen my videos, Louis, isn't that cool?”

“Stellar,” Louis replies, not so subtly rest his arm on the back of Harry's chair.

Alec obviously notices, and points back to the line. “Well, I’d better be going,” he says. “But it was amazing running into you, Harry.”

“You too,” Harry replies. “And thank you, for the advice and everything.”

Alec nods and says goodbye with one last glance at Louis before getting in line. Louis sits down in the chair opposite of Harry and taps his finger on the lid of his cup.

“He seemed nice,” Louis lies.

Harry smiles, because of course he does. This kid is practically the human embodiment of happiness. He's all cupcakes, rainbows, and unicorns. Tall, hot, tattooed men fall at his feet and he just bats his eyelashes and smiles.

“He was sweet,” Harry replies. “He's a subscriber and a film student, we were talking about some of the shots I got from today.”

“That's nice,” Louis says, pretending to be very busy sipping at his drink that is still much too hot to be drinking.

Harry nods and looks back down at his camera for a moment before putting it away in his bag.

“When are you meeting your soulmate?” Louis blurts out.

Harry jolts, almost dropping his camera bag in the process, but manages to catch it before it falls. He coughs to cover his obvious nervousness and takes a sip of his coffee.

“Tonight?” he says, his voice shaking a bit. “Maybe after dinner, but I'm not sure yet.”

Louis nods. “Are you nervous?” he asks.

“Terribly,” Harry sighs. “I’m just nervous he won't want me. We're sort of friends already, you know? I'm worried that he won't want to be more than that with me. If he could even see us that way, because I've let this friendship happen first.”

Really, Louis cannot understand how Harry thinks like this. He's the most wonderful, beautiful boy Louis has ever met in his life. If his soulmate doesn't want him, Louis is going to give up on love completely.

He sighs and figures he owes Harry is honest opinion. “Maybe it's good that you're friends. It'll make it way less awkward when you tell him, you'll be closer than most people are when they find their soulmate.”

Harry smiles and says, “That’s exactly what I was thinking, Lou.”

“Well I am the love genius,” Louis teases. “Though I still haven't managed to find my own damn soulmate after months. I feel like he's hiding from me.”

Harry barks out a laugh and shakes his head. “London’s a big place,” he replies. “Who knows, he could be hiding in plain sight.”

“Let’s hope so,” Louis mutters. “I'm becoming terribly impatient. He better be worth the wait.”

Harry smiles. “I hope he will be.”

 

* * *

 

Late that night, Louis is laying on the couch watching telly and Harry is sitting in front of him, legs crossed and working on his computer that sits on the coffee table. Somehow, and Louis isn't quite sure how, Louis’ hand has found its way into Harry's curls. They now sit silently, Louis gently running his hand through Harry's curls, Harry editing while biting his lip. It's probably massively inappropriate, considering Harry is going to meet his soulmate in only an hour, but neither of them are complaining.

Slowly, Louis finds himself watching Harry rather than the show he's put on. Harry's editing the footage he got today and the day before on the train. It's a bit like the video Harry shot of Louis, and the one he did of Playlist Live, mostly long shots that are muted under a song. It makes everything look a bit like a wonderful dream, and Louis is amazed at how he does it.

“You make it look like the best day of your life,” Louis murmurs.

Harry's currently editing Louis’ favorite part. Harry had convinced Louis they needed to do one of those pictures traveling couples do, where the one behind the camera is being led somewhere. However, neither of them could hold in their laughter and it turned into a disaster.

Halfway through their attempt, Harry turns to look at Louis and pouts.

 _Stop laughing,_ he whines. _You're killing my dreams._

 _I'm sorry love,_ Louis replies. _Turn around, we can try again._

Most of the reason Louis said it was because he just wanted to keep holding Harry's hand. Every time they touched it was like sparks dancing across Louis’ skin, and he had quickly become addicted to the feeling. Again, most likely inappropriate, but it had been Harry's idea in the first place.

“It is,” Harry sighs. “The best day of my life, I mean.”

Louis lets himself smile, lets himself pretend that it's the best day of Harry's life because of him. Not because he's going to be meeting his soulmate very soon, and he got to be a tourist in London all day with Louis.

“I’m going to make some tea,” Louis sighs. “Do you want some, love?”

Harry nods, tilting his head a bit as Louis pulls his hand away. “Yes please,” he whispers, and his voice is shaking a bit. Nerves, probably. It's been dark for hours now, if Harry really intends to meet his soulmate tonight, he has to leave soon.

He busies himself in the kitchen, making tea for the both of them. The kettle has only just clicked when the kitchen door swings open.

“Louis?” Harry calls.

“What's up love?” Louis asks.

Harry takes a deep breath. “Can you uh,” he starts, stuttering through his words. “Can you look at me?”

Louis frowns and turns to find Harry standing in front of the door, nervously playing with the hem of his flannel.

“What's wrong?” Louis asks, eyebrows furrowing. Harry is shaking, he's so nervous, and Louis wants to reach out for him but Harry shakes his head.

“So,” he starts. “You know the reason I came was to meet my soulmate, right?”

Louis nods. “Yeah, love, I know.”

“But I have met him,” Harry starts. “In a lift at playlist.”

Louis frowns. “What?”

“It's um,” Harry stops and takes a deep breath. “It's you, Louis. You're my soulmate.”

Louis blinks at him, unsure of how to respond to that. Luckily, he doesn't have to, because Harry starts taking off his flannel. He lets it drop to the ground, now standing in only a white t-shirt, and holds out his wrist. There, right above his wrist, inked into his delicate skin forever is an anchor. And Louis has the rope.

“Harry,” he chokes out.

“I got it at midnight,” Harry continues, running his hand over the mark. “On my eighteenth birthday, first of February. And even though I couldn't really know, I feel like I've known you were my soulmate from the moment our eyes met for the first time.”

 Louis doesn't know what to say, he can only stare in complete disbelief.

“Why,” he chokes out. “Why didn't you say anything?”

Harry bites his lip. “I was scared,” he admits. “I didn't even know I liked men, Lou, like at all. My entire life I was planning for my soulmate to be a girl, and then you showed up and it all changed. I'm not…I don't know what I'm doing, Louis.”

“Darling,” Louis sighs, and Harry's cheeks turn red. “Do you think I care about that? I've been waiting my entire life for you.”

Harry crumples up and Louis doesn't care anymore about boundaries. He crosses the room in a few big steps and wraps his arms around Harry, holding him to his chest. It feels suddenly like everything makes sense. All of these feelings Louis has been trying to hide for a week make sense.

“I didn't want you to be disappointed,” Harry murmurs against Louis’ neck.

Louis laughs and shakes his head. “Harry,” he scolds. “You could never disappoint me. You don't know how happy I am right now.”

“Really?” Harry whispers.

“Really,” Louis agrees. “I've been jealous all day thinking of you going to meet your soulmate. Couldn't stand the thought.”

Harry giggles. “I guess that makes sense,” he reasons.

“Because you're mine,” Louis murmurs. “Can I see?”

He doesn't have to elaborate. Harry pulls back slightly and holds his wrist so Louis can see. The anchor is huge, taking up a space between Harry's wrist and elbow. When they hold hands, their marks will align perfectly, Louis thinks with a smile.

Without thinking, Louis reaches out and touches it. Harry shivers and Louis beams.

“Feels weird, yeah?” he murmurs, tracing the anchor gently.

Harry nods. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Doesn't feel like that with anyone else. Feels wrong when other people touch it.”

“I know,” Louis sighs. “But not with you. You were made for me, darling, and I was made for you.”

Harry whimpers and Louis tilts his head up.

“Can I kiss you?”

Harry nods quickly and Louis smiles before gently leaning forward and pressing their lips together.

It feels-different. Different to any kiss Louis has ever had in his life. In an instant, he feels as though he can sense all of Harry's emotions, nervousness, and happiness all wrapped up in one. His hands come to rest on Louis’ hips and Louis buries his hands in Harry's curls.

“Lou,” Harry mumbles. “Can you feel it?”

Louis laughs and nods, pressing a kiss to Harry's cheeks. “I can,” he whispers. “You're it, Harry. You're mine, you're my soulmate.”

Harry laughs right back and nods. “I can't believe it,” he sighs. “You're better than anything I ever could've expected.”

“You too, darling,” Louis murmurs. And then, just because he can, he pulls Harry in for another kiss.

Harry is his and he is Harry’s, and it all seems to make perfect sense.

 

* * *

 

Louis wakes up certain that he's in a dream.

He's lying in bed shirtless, as he finds himself most mornings, but today there's someone else in bed with him. Harry is shirtless as well, laying across Louis’ chest and snoring against his ribs. Louis smiles and brushes his fingers through Harry's curls, dragging his fingertips down over Harry's shoulders to his wrist that lays against Louis’ side.

It doesn't feel real yet. He can't believe that his soulmate is someone this wonderful, the kind of person he's been dreaming of his entire life. Harry looks like an angel, sleeping soundly against Louis’ chest.

An awful feeling settles deep in Louis’ chest when he remembers Harry has to go back home today. Louis never wants him to leave, doesn't want to let Harry out of his sight for even a moment now that they've found each other.

Of course they'd talked about it last night. There are only a few months left before Harry moves to London, and in the meantime they can visit one another on the weekends. Louis has already planned a trip next weekend to meet Harry's mother, at her insistence. If Harry is going to be spending all this time here, Louis supposes it's only right she get to interrogate him.

Someday she'll be his mother in law, if that's what Harry wants. He wonders if that _is_ what Harry wants. These are probably things they should talk about, but they've only known each other for a little while now. That'll come later, he supposes.

Harry sighs and stretches a bit, mumbling something in his sleep against Louis’ skin. Louis smiles and scratches at Harry's scalp a bit.

Only about five minutes later, Harry starts to move a bit more. He groans and blinks his eyes open, squinting in the dim light that comes through Louis’ curtains.

“Good morning,” Louis whispers.

Harry looks up at him for a moment and smiles before setting his head back down and closing his eyes once more.

“It wasn't a dream,” he sighs happily.

Louis laughs. “No, darling, it wasn't.”

Harry smiles against Louis’ chest and sighs happily. “I’m so happy,” he murmurs. “I never thought I could be this happy.”

“I think I can feel it,” Louis admits, gently pushing strands of Harry's curls over his ear. “Liam always told me he and Zayn could like sense each other's emotions and things like that, but I wasn't sure I believed him. But I could feel it when I kissed you, and I can feel it now. It's also probably why I always have a song stuck in my head.”

Harry giggles and nods. “Sorry,” he says.

“Don't worry,” Louis says. “I like it.”

“I don't want to go,” Harry says. “I was so nervous to come here, and now I never want to leave.”

Louis reaches out and intertwines their fingers, watching the way their marks line up perfectly. He can't remember the last time he was this content.

“I don't want you to leave,” he admits. “Can't imagine you going anywhere without me, but I suppose that’s not healthy.”

Harry giggles. “I've heard it's like that at first,” he says. “I mean, I've been waiting eighteen years for you.”

“I've waited twenty,” Louis shoots back. “I win, now you have to stay right here in this bed forever.”

Harry's giggles only intensify as Louis rolls them over to one side, holding himself above Harry and kissing his neck. He reaches his hand down and tickles Harry's sides, making him shriek.

“Louis,” he laughs. “Stop it, I'm serious.”

Louis smiles and kisses Harry's forehead. “You're so pretty, darling,” he murmurs.

Harry flushes and closes his eyes for a moment, obviously embarrassed. Louis kisses his closed eyelids.

“Hasn't anyone ever told you how pretty you are?” he murmurs. “Gorgeous boy.”

Harry shakes his head. “I’m usually the one doling out the compliments,” he mutters.

“Well that just won't do,” Louis decides. “I’m going to shower you with compliments every moment of every day.”

Harry opens his eyes finally and smiles. “I'll be spoiled then,” he reasons. “Have a big head as well.”

“I don't care darling,” Louis says with a smile. “You won't be able to stop me.”

Harry hums and drags his hand over Louis’ shoulders and down his chest. “That isn't fair,” he says.

“What isn't fair?”

“You already have a pet name for me,” Harry says. “I haven't had enough time to think of a good one.”

Louis laughs. “You'll get there, darling,” he murmurs. “I'll think of plenty more, but I think I like darling best. Beautiful, darling boy.”

Harry groans and closes his eyes again.

“You don't have to be embarrassed,” Louis murmurs.

“But it's embarrassing,” Harry groans. “M’hard over pet names.”

Louis laughs and presses a kiss to Harry's neck before rolling his hips down over Harry's experimentally. Sure enough, Harry lets out a moan, and Louis can feel how hard he is through their pants.

“Oh darling,” Louis sighs. “You are, aren't you? Do you want me to take care of you?”

Harry nods immediately.

Louis kisses Harry's chin and whispers, “Look at me, love, talk to me. Do you want this?”

Harry blinks his eyes open and Louis is amazed at how quickly his pupils have blown out. He nods and whispers, “Please, Lou,” his voice cracking a bit.

“Okay,” Louis replies. “But if I do anything you don't like, you tell me, right?”

“Uh huh,” Harry sighs, picking his hips up just a bit. “Lou, please don't tease.”

Louis smiles and sits up, leaning back on his heels and taking in the scene before him. Harry has turned his face against his arm, mouth open and eyes closed as he cants his hips, looking for friction. He's so hard in his little black pants, and Louis almost feels bad when he leans over to gently mouth at him through the fabric.

Harry gasps so loudly, Louis is worried his flat mates might hear. Not that he cares, though. He wouldn't want to not hear every noise Harry makes.

“Baby,” Louis murmurs. “Look at you, look at how pretty you are like this. So lucky.”

Harry moans and Louis gently lifts his head to presses kisses into Harry's stomach. He opens his mouth over Harry's ribs, biting gently as he trials his way up to Harry's nipples.

“Do you like your nipples played with?” Louis murmurs, gently thumbing at one and watching it perk up. “You seem the type. So responsive.”

Harry moans once more, back arching off the bed. “Louis,” he breathes. “Please.”

Louis smiles and attaches his lips to Harry's right nipple, his fingers rolling over the left before he switches, leaving them pink and puffy and just as beautiful as Harry himself.

“Gonna come,” Harry chokes out.

“Mm, I bet you could,” Louis whispers against his skin. “Bet you could come just from this, darling. Just from me playing with you like this.”

Harry shakes his head. “No, no, Lou I can't. Touch me, please.”

“Maybe another time,” Louis sighs. “We have all the time in the world, don't we?”

Harry nods and without really thinking, Louis reaches out for his wrist. He places a kiss right over the anchor, loving the way Harry gasps and writhes for it.

Louis smiles and gently pulls away in favor of pulling Harry's pants down over his thighs. His cock springs free to rest against his belly. Louis smiles and leans over to suck marks into the soft skin of Harry's thighs.

“Gonna feel me here when you leave,” Louis whispers, pressing a kiss to the mark he's left.

“Please,” Harry begs. “Louis, please touch me.”

Louis picks his head up. “What do you want?” he asks.

“Anything,” Harry replies.

Louis smiles and thinks for a moment. “Want to get my mouth on you,” he decides. “Want to know how you taste.”

Harry whines and nods his head, squeezing his eyes shut as his hips cant up once more. Louis smiles and leans forward, taking Harry in his mouth all at once. Harry lets out a choked sound, bucking up into Louis’ mouth.

“M’sorry, m’sorry-” Harry gasps out.

“Don't be,” Louis whispers, gently putting one hand on Harry's hips to stop his movements. “You're so perfect for me, darling, aren't you? Gorgeous in every way.”

Harry moans. “Lou, not gonna last.”

Louis sucks at Harry's head before bobbing his head down once more, taking all of Harry in at once. As he warned, it isn't long before Harry is gasping and babbling to Louis, a string of _gonna come gonna come_ falling out of his mouth.

With a hand in Louis’ hair, Harry comes down his threat. Louis swallows it, suckling a bit at the head until Harry whines from sensitivity. Louis pulls off and smiles when he sees his flushed Harry is. Marks are forming on his chest and thighs and he's breathing heavily when Louis lies down beside him.

“You're perfect,” Louis murmurs, shoving a hand down his pants. “God, baby. So pretty, sound so pretty when you come.”

Harry opens his eyes and looks down to where Louis is slowly getting himself off. He reaches out, gently pawing at Louis’ pants until the older man wiggles out of them.

“You don't have to-”

“Want to,” Harry whispers, knocking Louis’ hands away. “Just tell me if I'm doing it wrong?”

Louis laughs and leans forward to kiss him. “You couldn't,” he whispers.

Harry reaches out hesitantly, before wrapping his hand around Louis’ cock. His mark flexes as he moves up and down, twisting a bit at the end, before looking up at Louis. Louis smiles and kisses him once more. He then leans his head against Harry's shoulder, panting as Harry jacks him off.

“Baby,” Louis whispers. “Perfect. Perfect for me, darling, so beautiful.”

“Come for me,” Harry whispers in his ear, and Louis almost does right on cue. His voice is so raspy and deep, his breath playing across Louis’ earlobe.

Louis lets out a quiet moan before he comes between them, painting their chests and Harry's wrist. Louis picks his head up just in time to watch Harry raise his fingers to his lips and suck.

“Oh god,” Louis groans.

Harry stops, fingers still stuck in his lips. “Is that weird?” he whispers, cheeks going red in an instant.

Louis shakes his head quickly and knocks Harry's fingers away in favor of kissing him. “No, darling,” he whispers. “But you're going to be the death of me.”

Harry smiles a bit, looking more confident now. “I'm still learning,” he whispers. “Never been with a man before.”

“I'll be sure to teach you everything I know,” Louis laughs back.

“I can't wait,” Harry giggles, kissing him once more.

Louis pulls away to gently kiss Harry's forehead. “We need to shower,” he says with a sad sigh. “Can't send you back home like this, your mum will never let you come back.”

“Like this?” Harry teases.

“Debauched,” Louis says. “Deflowered, a sexual deviant.”

Harry laughs. “You're too late for that deflowering thing,” he says. “And I think sexual deviant might be taking it too far.”

“Properly debauched though,” Louis says. “At least give me that, don't completely kill my ego.”

Harry kisses his neck and nods. “You've left me properly debauched, Louis Tomlinson.”

“Good,” Louis teases. “Now let’s go shower.”

They make it all of two minutes in the shower before Louis backs Harry into a corner and gets him off once more. He thinks he might be addicted to the way Harry cries out and gasps, the way it feels to leave kisses to his throat and chest while Harry begs for it.

Eventually, they exit the shower, debauched once more but clean. They manage to sneak back into Louis room without seeing anyone and get dressed, but going downstairs is a whole other situation.

“Well well well,” Niall drawls out when the two of them stumble into the kitchen, giggling at one another. “How nice of you to both join us.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Good morning Niall,” he says.

“Morning,” Harry says as well, shooting Niall a grin before following Louis to the counter. He leans his entire body against Louis’ back, resting his chin on Louis’ shoulder.

Niall scoffs. “Do the two of you have no shame?” he asks. “Harry, really, I thought better of you. Not that I'm judging, but your poor soulmate, abandoned for Louis of all people?”

“Of all people?” Louis squawks.

But Niall just keeps going. “And you, Louis. Maybe I could expect this of Harry, I don't know him that well, but _you_? Mr. Over Protective over a soulmate you don't even know? Mr. Love Conquers All-”

“Niall,” Harry says, stopping him short by holding his arm out.

Niall frowns, looking down at Harry's mark for a moment before it clicks. His eyes go wide as he stares at the two of them.

“You,” he starts. “You're both-oh my god. Oh my _god_!”

Harry laughs. “I think we broke him,” he says.

“If we didn't, I will,” Louis decides. “What do you mean, me of all people? I'll have you know, anyone would love to be my soulmate.”

Niall shakes his head. “How?” he asks.

“Harry was keeping it a secret,” Louis explains. “It was a surprise.”

Niall stares at the two of them for a moment before saying, “Wait here, I'm waking everyone up and calling Liam and Zayn over. Other people need to witness this, I have to make sure I'm not hallucinating.”

With that, Niall runs out of the room, door swinging shut behind him. Harry breaks into giggles, pressing his face to Louis’ shoulder.

“His face,” he laughs. “It was brilliant.”

Louis smiles and wraps an arm around Harry's waist. “Welcome to the rest of your life,” he says.

Harry looks up, pouting a bit. “Is Niall going to be living with us when we're old?”

“Most likely,” Louis teases. “Why? Not good enough for you?”

Harry smiles at him. “Anything with you is good enough for me,” he whispers.

 

* * *

 

_1 Year Later_

Harry walks into his room to find Louis frowning at himself in the viewfinder of the camera, flipping his hair this way and that.

“Lou,” Harry sighs. “You look perfect, you always do.”

Louis hums and stops messing with his hair, though he does frown at himself a bit in the camera. “My hair’s a mess.”

“It isn't,” Harry says. “I think you look handsome.”

“You have to say that,” Louis replies.

Harry hums and sits down beside him, pretending to study Louis. He gets as close as he can before their noses bump and each of them break into giggles.

“I don't have to say anything,” Harry laughs, pausing to kiss Louis. “I think you're always lovely. Now come on, I want to get this filmed before we leave for dinner.”

Louis sighs. “Okay, okay bossy. Start it up then.”

Harry smiles and starts recording. “Hey,” he says to the camera, only to burst into laughter when Louis tickles him.

“Back up,” Louis says. “We all know I'm the real star here. I'm what the people really want.”

Harry laughs and moves so he's sitting leaning against Louis’ side. “You joke, but you have no clue how many people requested this video just to see you.”

“Why on earth would they want to see me?” Louis asks.

Harry rolls his eyes. “Because you're perfect, Lou.”

“Darling,” Louis laughs. “If anyone's perfect here, it's obviously you.”

Harry looks right into the camera, trying his best to convey _This is why_ without actually saying it. Louis shakes his head and reaches for his phone.

“Harry,” Louis says. “Tell them what we're doing.”

“Boyfriend tag,” Harry says. “If Louis can get the thing up.”

Louis laughs and leans over to kiss Harry's temple. “I've got it love, go on.”

Harry smiles and takes Louis’ phone, scrolling to the questions. He clears his throat and says, “Alright, question one; when did we meet and where?”

“We met at Playlist Live last year, in a lift,” Louis says, smiling at the memory. “So thank you youtube, you’re what brought us together.”

Harry laughs and moves on to the next. “Where and when was our first kiss?”

“In my kitchen,” Louis says. “Right after this one over here decided to finally tell me I’m his soulmate. He kept it from me for as long as he could.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “I only kept it from you for a week, you’re so dramatic,” he teases. “It was for our own good.”

“Your own good, maybe,” Louis sighs. “But I was crying myself to bed at night, thinking you had someone else.”

Harry rolls his eyes at the camera and continues with the questions. There’s thirty of them, and by the time they get to the last one, Harry has over an hour of film. They talked about everything from their bad habits to their good, from Louis’ cereal addiction to Harry’s tendency to leave his shoes lying around for Louis to trip over. Though Harry will have to edit it heavily to get it down to a reasonable time, he’s had fun just sitting and talking with Louis.

They don’t have much time to do this right now. Though they live together now, alone, Harry is busy with school and Louis is busy finishing his teaching certificate. Soon he’ll be off on his own, a real teacher, with a classroom and kids in it. Harry is forcing him to take nice pictures to put on his desk.

“Last question,” Harry sighs sadly. “Complete this sentence, my soulmate is…”

Louis hums and then smiles. “Is it just one word?”

“You make the rules, babe, it can be as many words as you want,” Harry replies.

Louis grins and nods. “My soulmate is,” he starts. “The most talented, beautiful, and genuine person I have ever met. There’s no one else out there in the world like him, and I thank whatever it was that put us together for giving him to me.”

Harry can feel his cheeks burning red and he ducks his head for a moment. When he looks back up, Louis is smiling at him, obviously waiting.

“You’re a sap,” Harry croaks out.

Louis laughs and pulls him in for a kiss. Harry lets him, lost in the feeling of Louis’ fingertips pressing into his neck. He closes his eyes and just breathes for a moment, reminding himself that this is real. This beautiful boy is his.

“Well?” Louis murmurs, pulling away finally. “Your soulmate is…”

Harry laughs and rests his forehead against Louis’. He closes his eyes once more and reaches out to gently press his hand against Louis’ mark. He feels it just as Louis does, like static electricity under his skin.

When he finally opens his eyes again, he can only stare into Louis’ beautiful blue eyes in wonder. Louis smiles back at him and Harry grins, reaching up just to ghost his fingertips across Louis’ cheekbone.

“My soulmate,” he whispers. “Is perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone follows me on tumblr *cough*cheeky plug*cough* this is what I've been referring to as the self serving fic no one wants but me. Really, I can't imagine why anyone would want this random assortment of tropes all in one place, and yet here we are. it was self serving, and I wanted it. (Also, I started this a few weeks before Niall played with a fidget spinner for an interview, and I'd like to point out that I may actually be psychic...)
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please leave me some kudos and comments if you enjoyed, or even if you didnt. I'll see you next time :)
> 
> [tumblr](http://amories.tumblr.com) | [reblogable post](http://amories.tumblr.com/post/164484003852/can-i-be-him-by-amory-oneshot-29k-summary-louis)


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